The Girl Who Found Out
by FineChyna
Summary: All of Fabletown knew of the epic showdown that went down at Sheppard Metalworks the night the Crooked Man was captured. You know who didn't know? The Mundies. Except for one. And now, she wants to know more. Obviously, episode 5 spoilers. Rated T for Wolf Among Us type language and violence.
1. They didn't know what I saw

**A/N: Hello everyone! This is my first ever fanfic. Hope you like it! Feel free to point out any spelling or grammar mistakes you find. Credit for the inspiration for the story goes to the amazing Cecilia Green! Go read her stuff if you haven't already. Ok, the deal is, if five people comment and say they like it, and I get one favorite, I will continue this story. Enjoy!**

I just wanted them to leave me alone.

The kids in my class, always making fun of me, always laughing at me. Just because I was a little different, wasn't really a teenager like they were. I thought, if I proved that I was just as grown up and crazy as they pretended to be, maybe they would leave me alone.

Of course, I decided this the day one of the stupid boys in my class dared me to go to Sheppard Metalworks, the old metal factory, and record myself there. I would've said no, I _should've_ said no, but I was so desperate, I agreed.

So that night, I grabbed a flashlight and my dad's old video camera and rode my bike through town to Sheppard Metalworks. The building was huge, made of bricks and covered in old graffiti. I stashed my bike behind some old barrels, grabbed my camera, and turned on my flashlight. The narrow beam flickered over the ground. I looked around until I saw a giant double door. I opened it, to find another door at the end of a long hall. I stepped inside, not bothering to close the door behind me.

As I started walking to the door, I noticed a stack of boxes heaped in a corner. I swung my flashlight over to them. They were plain enough, maybe the size of a microwave, but each one had a symbol stamped on the side: a stick figure strapped to...a Catherine wheel? I shifted my feet nervously. I remembered a book I read once about medieval times, and how people were strapped to these wheels so the executioner could smash their bones with a hammer. Even if you lived, you were crooked for the rest of your life. Why would this be stamped to the boxes?

I shook myself. "You make mistakes all the time," I said out loud. "maybe it means something else in a different country, or something." Still, what were those boxes doing here? They didn't seem too old, they weren't too dusty, and some of them looked freshly opened.

Deciding to forget about it, I finished my walk to the door. I couldn't help but notice that the light above was on. Grabbing the handle, I leaned, ready to struggle to open it. Instead, the door to slid open like it had been freshly oiled with just a quiet squeak. I flailed around, having lost my balance, but regained it in a few seconds. I frowned, staring at the door. Wasn't this building condemned a long time ago? Shouldn't it be rusted shut, or at least shriek like an old cat? "Well," I said (out loud again, I really have to stop doing that), "maybe construction workers keep the door clean, so they can get in when they do start renovating." With this nervous guess, I stepped inside.

The factory was in surprisingly good condition. I was on a metal catwalk suspended over the concrete floor below. Lots of metal tubes and tanks snaked all over the room, like some insane water slide. Molds on the floor glowed, full of liquid metal. Overhead, some giant smelting pots were hooked to metal grids. In fact, one the pots was moving, trailing back and forth, with more hot metal inside. There wasn't any rust, cobwebs, or any of the things you see in run-down buildings.

I was really starting to get nervous. Clearly, someone still came here, still _worked _here. I just wanted to get my video and get out. I started walking down the catwalk, looking for a good place to set up. Up ahead, there was a light on. I weaved around some ladders and barrels and stood underneath the glowing lamp. Across from some empty chairs was a billboard with some pictures attached to it. I leaned in to look at them.

Each picture was taken from a distance, each showing several people. In one, I saw a man with wild chestnut hair, 5 o'clock shadow, and feral brown eyes talking to a women with ebony-black hair, rose-red lips, and snow-white skin. In another, I saw the same man as before taking a drag of a cigarette outside of store. Another one had a girl covered in bruises but still very pretty, with short black hair and almost neon green eyes. Around her neck was a purple ribbon. She was talking to the same guy from the other photos. Who were these people? Who was that man?

Shaking, I kept walking, past some more barrels, and over to... a giant Catherine Wheel, stained with..._blood?_ I stopped cold. "Okay," I said, trying to calm down, "There is a bloodstained medieval torture device in front of me. I saw some photos that were apparently taken by stalkers. And all of this is in an abandoned metal factory that is apparently still used. _What is going on?" _

Maybe I was just nervous, but right then I could have swore I heard footsteps outside the door at the end of the catwalk. Panicking, I jumped inside one of the barrels nearby, not even bothering to check what was in it. Fortunately, it wasn't anything sharp. Unfortunately, the barrel was rusty and smeared with oil inside. I grimaced, thinking of how I was going to explain this to my mom when I got home. Little did I know, that was the least of my worries.

The door at the end of the catwalk opened. I peeked through one of the holes in the barrel and almost gasped. It was the guy from the pictures!

The man was tall, muscular, and rugged, with flyaway brown hair and sideburns of the same color. His strong jaw was dotted with stubble. My eyes traveled up his face, over a slightly crooked nose and up to a pair of deep brown eyes. Those eyes clearly said, _Don't mess with me._ He was dressed in a wrinkled white shirt and grey pants, with a loose tie around his neck.

The man looked over the edge of the catwalk. Just then, there was a sickly sweet voice, seeming to come from everywhere at once. It almost gave me a heart attack.

"Bigby Wolf."

The man seemed to recognize the voice, and started to walk down the catwalk. Was he Bigby Wolf? I couldn't help but smirk at the name. With that face, that hair, and that name, you might think he was-

"The Big Bad Wolf."

I froze. Could this voice read my mind somehow? Or was he-_No! _I scolded myself. _That's just a fairy tale. There's no such thing as the Big Bad Wolf. _

Bigby, if that was his name, was getting closer now. He passed by a ladder and started walking towards the billboard.

"You used to be something."

What was that voice talking about?

Bigby looked at the billboard, frowning. I could tell he didn't think much of being stalked. His eyes seemed to soften as he looked at one picture: three women, standing together and talking. One was petite, with messy red hair very similar to Bigby's. The second had coarse black hair and an almost sad looking face, even though she was smiling. The third was the woman from one of the pictures, only she wasn't bruised. They were chatting and smiling like old friends, and they all had purple ribbons around their necks. Were they in some sort of club?

Bigby started walking again, and passed the barrels I was hiding in. I held my breath and tried to be quiet.

"They used to fear you."

I wasn't even surprised at the voice anymore, and I certainly wasn't surprised that people feared this man. He was intimidating enough.

Bigby kept walking, heading toward the Catherine Wheel.

"They'd hide anywhere their small shivering bodies would fit."

What?! Was this guy a serial killer or something? How could people be that afraid of him?

Bigby stared at the Catherine wheel for a minute, then headed through a doorway, out of my line of sight. As soon as I was sure he was gone, I jumped out of the barrel and bolted for the door. I wasn't sure exactly what was going on, but I knew one thing: I didn't want any part of it. I didn't care what other kids said. This wasn't worth it.

Just as I was about to grab the door handle, I heard more footsteps coming towards me. Without thinking, I jumped over the railing to the ground a few feet below and crouched behind a barrel. I cursed my luck. Why can't things go right for once?

I looked over the barrel to see who it was. In the door frame that Bigby entered was a tall man in a pinstripe suit. He almost looked like an rich grandfather, except he was, for lack of a better word, _crooked_. His legs were bent backwards above the knee, his face was disfigured and twisted, and one of his lower eyelids was stretched down to his cheekbone. I wondered how he ended up looking like that. My eyes wandered over to the Catherine Wheel in the corner. _No way._ Was that _used_ on him?!

The crooked man, as I called him, strode over to a set of stairs that led to an observatory overhead. I would have watched him go, except right then, I heard a weird noise, like a snarl, only drawn out and vibrating, like it was coming through plastic wrap. At the same time, I saw something fly by on the catwalk, a slouched figure, glowing red, moving way too fast to be human.

I pressed backwards into the wall, terrified, trying not to move. If all this terror wasn't already enough, Bigby came back out, only he wasn't, _couldn't _be human. His tie was crooked, his hair was messier, and even from where I was I could see his arms and chest had sprouted more hair. And his eyes...they glowed yellow. Like a wolf's.

I remembered the voice mocking him, calling him 'The Big Bad Wolf'. Was that _true? _Was he some kind of werewolf?

I was so busy thinking, I didn't notice Bigby start running until I saw him climbing a ladder. Once he reached the top, I could see he was standing on one of the pipes used to transport molten metal throughout the factory. He was moving forward, balancing carefully, looking around. What was he looking for?

I got the answer sooner than I expected. The glowing red creature from before flew out of nowhere with a hiss, still too fast for me to see what it was, and shot past Bigby. He snarled in pain as blood sprayed from the arms he had raised protectively. Did that thing cut him or something?

Bigby shook it off and kept moving, but soon, the thing flew by again. Three times, Bigby raised his arms to protect himself. Three times, blood flew as the creature, whatever it was, cut into him.

Bigby jumped onto the tank connected to the pipe and twisted, looking in vain for his attacker. "Where are you?" he yelled in a low, raspy growl. "Come out and face me!" As he said that, I heard the hiss from before, but also a new sound: the steady crunch of breaking glass. From behind a pipe behind him came something straight out of a nightmare.

The only way I could describe it was as a dead body that had been dragged through a mirror factory. It was the figure of a woman, dressed in rags, and pale as death. Broken glass jutted from her body all over, and the _blood..._ she was covered in it. It dripped from every piece of glass, from the corner of her mouth, and from beneath her black and red demon eyes. Her hands were dark red, and even from where I was I could see the wicked claws at the end. The creature hissed again, and I noticed she was covered in tattoos that glowed neon red. She walked up to Bigby, and he crouched, snarling at her. Then, the fight began.

Bigby swung a punch at the woman, but she ducked and slashed at him. He grabbed his side and grunted in pain. The fighters circled each other, both tensed for the next move. Bigby made a mad grab, but the woman jumped with alarming speed to a higher part of the tank and kicked out, hitting him in the jaw. I winced in sympathy.

Somehow, the woman was able to wrench a bar off the tank and swing at Bigby, but he ducked. The woman promptly jumped on his back and wrapped her arms around his neck in a choke hold. Bigby yelled and struggled until he ended up walking out onto a moving rail that held up a smelting pot. For a second I was worried he would fall in, but after banging himself into the raised connector, both Bigby and the woman on his back fell the twenty feet to the concrete floor below.

I gasped. They must both be dead! But when I looked, I saw something moving on the floor. It was a huge, hulking figure, covered in grey fur. It looked like an honest-to-goodness werewolf. Was it Bigby?!

The werewolf stood up shakily and turned, claws bared, ready to fight. I saw the demonic woman walking towards him from the left. But wait...she was already hopping over a banister behind Bigby. I looked around and realized there were dozens of them, all coated in broken glass, all snarling at Bigby. His head whipped back and forth, trying to decide which one to attack first.

I could barely breathe. There were too many of them, even for him. He was going to die.

Bigby put up a good fight, but not only was he outnumbered, he was outgunned. It was clearly painful for him to even touch one of these creatures, and more often than not he cut himself. Soon, he was pinned down, and the women started cutting into him like butchers. Glass flashed, a chorus of demonic voices hissed, and Bigby was flailing on the floor...

But then, he wasn't. Bigby was gone. I saw some of the women fly backwards, but it took me a minute to process what I was seeing. There was a _huge wolf_ standing where Bigby had been just minutes before.

The wolf was easily twice as tall as the women, and ten times as strong. It was chocolatey brown, and its eyes were solid yellow. I watched, awestruck, as it picked up one of the women in its jaws and squeezed until she shattered into shards of glass. It immediately picked up another one and shook her like a rag doll until it tossed her aside. She hit a wall and broke, just like the first.

The women were losing, that was for sure. When one jumped on the wolf's back, it snarled and simply rolled over, crushing three of them. I watched as it climbed up a tank to catch one of the women who had jumped up there.

Somehow, more of the women ran from the sidelines to join the fight. Where were they coming from?

The wolf looked from side to side as the women backed it into a corner. Then, it braced its legs on the floor and slowly drew itself up, almost as if-

Suddenly, I remembered a line from a story I read when I was little. _The Big Bad Wolf huffed, and he puffed-_

I realized what was going to happen just before it did.

The wolf unleashed a huge gust of wind, which knocked over the women and shattered them on the walls. For a while, there was just the sound of rushing wind and breaking glass, until finally, there was only one woman left.

She looked from side to side, seemed to realize that her doppelgänger were gone, and glared at the wolf in front of her. She jumped up, swinging like a trapeze artist, until she stood on a pipe overhead. She raced along it with the wolf watching her like a cat watches a mouse. Once she stopped, she firmly grasped a piece of glass sticking out of her forehead and slowly dragged it out. Once she held it in her hand, she leaped off the pipe towards the wolf. In response, the wolf coiled back its legs and sprang up to meet her.

They met in the middle. The wolf grabbed the woman in its huge jaws, and just as she moved to stab its eye, she exploded in a shower of glass and a spray of blood.

The wolf hit the ground as glass rained down around it. It lifted its bloody muzzle into the air and roared. I could feel the entire factory shaking with the force of the sound. Then, the wolf hunched over, and slowly began to grow smaller. Fur receded into its skin. Its fangs shrank. In less than a minute, all that was left was the hunched, naked form of Bigby Wolf, gasping on the floor.

He slowly stood up and walked over to a pile on the floor. His clothes, somehow totally fine. The, he turned and glared upwards. I followed his gaze and realized that the crooked man from before had been watching everything from the safety of the foreman's box.

Bigby pulled on his clothes and headed towards the stairs. I didn't stay to see what happened after that. I grabbed my camera and flashlight, and ran.

I'm not sure how I made it home that night. When I went to school the next day, the boy who dared me to go asked to see the video. I had completely forgotten about the dare. When I said I didn't have it, he sneered and called be a baby, but I didn't care. The kids still teased me, but it didn't bother me anymore, because I had seen something none of them would ever see.

I had learned two things that night. One, something weird, something I didn't understand, was happening in New York City. And two, whoever said, "Who's afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" never saw him in action.


	2. I had to know more

**A/N: Hello everyone! Can I just say thank you so much for the support and reviews! It helps to know that people like your stories! I know I said was going to wait for 5 reviews, but I have no patience. Let me address some things:**

** Guest: You're awesome!**

** Kattylin: I'm glad you like it, because I always worried that my writing style was weird, so it's great to get feedback. For the record, I always thought that Mundies knew about Bullfinch Street. They walk there. Some even possibly live there. If you saw episode one, think about it: someone had to have called the Mundy cops. Probably wasn't a Fable. But whatever. I still appreciate the support!**

** Cecilia: Your feedback means a lot to me. You were the first favorite. You beta'd. You helped so much. Thank you.**

** Oh, and because I forgot last time, I don't own The Wolf Among Us. That's Telltale.**

** Credit for the name of my character and inspiration for the chapter go to the ever-amazing Cecilia Green. Let the story begin!**

I had to know more.

What I'd seen that night, it was part of something big. I was going to find out more, Big Bad Wolf or no.

After school, I went home to drop my stuff off. My family lives in a smaller apartment on the edge of Bullfinch Street. On the way, I always pass by this shop called the Lucky Pawn. It was a tiny place, with two broken lights in the name sign and gaudy neon lights in the windows. I'd never been inside, but I'd seen enough people storm out to know that if you went in there, you most likely would get scammed.

As I was walking by, I happened to look in the window. What I saw made my heart stop.

Three men were arguing inside the shop. The first was a short, dumpy-looking guy with a bald spot showing through his greasy red hair. He had a bit of a pot belly , gold rimmed glasses, and a droopy walrus mustache. The second guy was handsome enough, with a playful, boyish face and long, blond hair pulled back in a ponytail. The third man was Bigby Wolf.

The three men were yelling at each other, and the short guy kept pointing violently at the blond guy. Bigby was standing between them, clearly trying to break up an argument.

I wanted to know more, so I pulled out my Walkman and put on my headphones, trying to look like I was listening to music. But actually, I was glancing out of the corner of my eye, listening to what they were saying.

"Listen, Jersey, you need to keep your shit together," growled Bigby. "I don't care what Jack did this time, you can't start fighting when the Mundies can see through your damn window!"

"I don't give a fuck whether the Mundies see me or not, this little fucker needs someone to teach him a lesson!" yelled the short guy, presumably Jersey. "He comes in here and tries to pawn off some shit ring, sayin' it makes you invisible or some shit, and when I try it on, look!" Jersey angrily held up his right hand. Or, at least, what _should _have been his right hand. Instead, the hand was a skeletal, withered thing, covered in a layer of yellow, paper-thin skin. I recoiled. A _ring _did that?

Bigby seemed just as disturbed as I was. He rounded on the blond guy. "What the hell did you do to him, Jack?" He shouted. Jack flinched. "L-look, Bigby," he said nervously, "I just needed some cash, right? I never told him it would make him invisible. I told him it was cursed, maybe he could sell it as a gag. I didn't tell him to try it on."

"Like hell you didn't!" yelled Jersey. He shoved Bigby to the side and swung wildly at Jack with his good hand, hitting him in the face. Jack staggered. Bigby grabbed Jersey and pinned his arms behind his back. "Watch it Jersey," he growled in his ear. "Remember what happened last time."

Jersey seemed to wilt at that last sentence. He pulled away from Bigby and rubbed his arms while glaring at Jack. "Yeah, I should of known," he said sulkily. "Changin' the rules for your buddies. Just like always."

"That's not what I do," snarled Bigby, "and actually, Jersey, for once, I believe you. But you can't just go around picking fights in broad daylight. This is your last warning."

Jersey glared at Bigby. "What about this fuckwit, huh?" He pointed at Jack. "Does he just get a warning too?"

Bigby turned and smirked at Jack. "Oh, don't worry," he said. "He's coming with me for some questioning. Starting with where he got that ring."

Jack stared at Bigby and started edging towards the door. He shook his head emphatically. "N-no can do, Sheriff!" He stuttered. Sheriff, huh? Must work on Bullfinch Street only. "I had this appointment at...I have to go, uh.." Jack seemed at a loss for words. "I have to go. Bye!" he finished. He turned and bolted for the door.

"HEY!" roared Bigby. "STOP!"

He charged after Jack, but before he could grab him, Jack had swung open the door. He bolted out. Before I had a chance to think about what a dumb idea it was, I jumped on him as he ran out and we both fell spectacularly to the sidewalk.

Jack yelled. "I'm bleeding! I'm bleeding! I need a doctor!"

My heart stopped. Had I tackled him too hard? I scrambled off of him, expecting to see broken bones or blood pooling on the sidewalk, but he didn't seem hurt as far as I could tell. Was he bleeding internally?

Bigby stalked over and pulled Jack to his feet, pinning his arms behind his back. "Shut up," he said. At first I thought he was being insensitive, but then I realized Jack's elbow was scratched up and bleeding. It wasn't actually that bad, though.

Suddenly, I remembered I was supposed to have been distracted by my Walkman when Jack started running. I quickly arranged my face into the angriest look I could manage. "Watch where you're going, jerk!" I shouted.

Jack stared at my, genuinely surprised. "Watch where _I'm _going? You just tackled me and cut my arm open, and you tell _me _to watch where _I'm _going?" Bigby squeezed Jack's arms, making him squeal in pain. "I said, _shut up!_" he barked.

He turned to me. "Thanks for the help, ma'am," he said, somewhat reluctantly. I felt a surge of happiness as well as discomfort at being called "ma'am." Even though I was only in high school, the fact that I was tall and pretty well-built made most people think I was a lot older.

"Glad I could help, Mr. Wolf," I replied happily, before I realized I wasn't supposed to know his name. Good thing I think fast. "Wait, rewind," I said, trying to fake a laugh of embarrassment, "sorry about that, you remind me of a friend of mine, and we always called him Mr. Wolf. What's _your _name?"

Bigby seemed uncomfortable. "Actually, uh...my name _is _Wolf. Bigby Wolf." He held out a hand. I took it. His hand was warm and calloused, and made my skin look deathly white next to his tan. "Madison," I said, shaking his hand. "Pleased to meet you, Bigby Wolf."

He shifted nervously from one foot to the next. "Well, I guess I'll take this one, then, " he said awkwardly. I smiled. "Why, are you a police officer?" I said as sarcastically as I could. He smiled back at me. He had a nice smile when he tried. "More of a sheriff, really," he replied.

I walked around Bigby, picked up my Walkman from where it had fallen, and started the path back to my house. On a whim, I turned around. Bigby was still standing there, holding Jack, staring at me. I waved at him. "It was nice to meet you, Sheriff Wolf!" I called. Before he could answer, I turned and walked away.

As I walked, I thought about what had just happened. Jersey and Bigby had used the word "Mundies". What did that mean? It sounded kind of insulting. Also, they had said that ring was cursed. Did that mean it was magical? I would have been more surprised if I hadn't already seen a twelve-foot wolf become a man in less than a minute.

I chuckled to myself. Even though I wasn't sure what all this meant, I knew for certain that things were just getting started.


	3. What do you mean, weird?

**A/N: Guess who's back? Me! I'm sorry for the delay on this chapter, but I had to do things. But it's here now! To everyone who liked my story, thank you for the support! I'm glad I was able to make a likable OC! And to Moo Giraffe, don't worry, I would have changed the stuff anyway, because I'm really OCD about that kind of stuff.**

**Once again, I thank Cecilia Green for being my beta, for helping with the idea for this chapter, and for just being awesome in general. This story could not have been made without you! **

**But enough babble. Let the story begin! Oh, and I don't own TWAU.**

Bigby strode into Snow White's office, irritation written all over his face. Interrogating Jack had taken longer than he would have liked, mainly because Jack refused to talk until his arm was seen to. It had taken all of Bigby's patience not to do to him what he did to Tweedle Dee and beat the truth out of him, but he knew Snow wouldn't approve if he did.

Bigby could see Snow White now, hunched over her desk, reading through notes from other Fables. Her hair was in its usual messy bun, with one glossy black strand falling into her eyes. When she heard his footsteps, she looked up and smiled. "Hello Bigby," she said, walking around her desk to face him. "Did you get Jack to tell you anything?"

"He said that the ring was given to him by a witch that he met at the Trip Trap," Bigby answered. "She told him that she knew he liked making deals, and that she didn't need the ring anymore, so she gave it to him to pawn."

Snow's smile wavered, and she reached up a hand to rub her temples. "Just what we needed," she sighed. "Another rogue witch. Did he say what her name was?"

"Frau Trudy. Should I bring her in?"

Snow thought for a moment, then nodded. "We need to make sure that this woman doesn't go around giving away cursed objects. Think of what would happen if a Mundy got a hold of something magical." She shuddered.

Bigby frowned. "Speaking of Mundies, something weird happened when I was at the Lucky Pawn this afternoon. Remember how I said Jack ran for it when I said I was bringing him in?"

Snow nodded. "Yes."

"Well, he would have gotten away, except this Mundy outside jumped on top of him before he could get a head start."

Snow frowned. "Well, that's convenient. What did this Mundy look like?"

"She was a girl, maybe nineteen. She had lots of black hair and these weird gold eyes. She said that her name was Madison."

"Well, lucky for you she had sharp reflexes," mocked Snow. "Anyway, what happened that was so weird?"

"Well, first off, she wasn't even paying attention to Jack until he ran out. She was just hanging out outside the Luck Pawn listening to one of those Mundy music things...Walkguys?

Snow snorted. "Walkmans, Bigby. But that doesn't matter. She didn't notice you at all until Jack ran outside?"

"Yeah, but as soon as he ran out the door, she just tackled him. She shouldn't have known I was trying to grab him, unless she was listening in on us. Also..." Bigby's voice trailed off, and he figetted uncomfortably, looking at the floor.

"What? What is it?" Snow asked impatiently.

Bigby hesitated. "I talked to her after I grabbed Jack, and she...she knew my name. She said I reminded her of a friend, and that they called him Mr. Wolf, but...she looked kind of nervous." Bigby looked up and locked eyes with Snow. "She was lying."

Snow stared at him. "That doesn't make sense. How could she possibly know you? And even if she did, why would she lie about it?"

Bigby shrugged. "I'm not sure, but I think I should keep an eye on her. I was going to ask the mirror and see what she's doing now.

Snow nodded. "I think that would be best. If she somehow found out about Fabletown, whether on her own or from a friend, we need to make sure she doesn't tell anyone else."

Bigby nodded in agreement and turned, walking towards the Magic Mirror. Once he stood in front of it, the glass swirled, and a green face replaced Bigby's reflection. "Hello Sheriff," the face intoned in a deep voice. "What do you wish to find? And please, remember to speak in rhyme."

Bigby gritted his teeth. He was never good at poetry. "C'mon, Mirror," he protested. "This is important, and you know I don't do rhymes."

"If there are things you want to see, then you must get better at poetry," said the mirror.

Bigby sighed and rubbed his forehead.. He knew that the mirror was important for investigations, but sometimes it was hard to not just punch a hole in it and call it a day.

"Mirror, mirror...I just came in. Show me the Mundy named Madison."

The mirror smirked at the Sheriff's feeble rhyme, then disappeared in a swirl of green mist. An image appeared on the glass: a tall girl with thick black hair, walking up a set of stone steps. A sign next to the steps said _Lady Liberty Public Library_ in dark brown letters.

"So, she's at a library..." murmured Bigby. "Mirror, where is that library? What part of the city?"

The image disappeared, replaced by the green face."Sorry Sheriff. I only show what can be seen," droned the mirror. "Maybe next time, you should ask in-"

"If you say 'rhyme', I will personally break you and throw the pieces down the Witching Well."

The face in the glass seemed to grow pale. "Fine," said the mirror. "No need to be mean. The library is a block east of Fabletown. You can't miss it."

"Thanks," said Bigby, walking over to Snow, who had gone back to reading the notes on her desk. She looked up. "Did you find out anything?" she asked.

Bigby nodded. "Right now, she's at a library a block away from the edge of Fabletown. Should I head over there?"

Snow furrowed her brow, deep in thought. "Shouldn't you find Frau Trudy first?"

Bigby smiled. "Don't worry. Jack kindly told me where she lives. I plan to see her soon, but Madison might not be at the library for long."

Snow nodded. "You're right. You should go talk to Madison first. What do you plan to say?"

"I'm not actually sure," admitted Bigby. "I figured I could just pretend that I was there, and maybe get a conversation going, learn some more about her."

"Sounds like a plan. Just remember Bigby," Snow said. "She isn't a criminal. Don't treat her like one."

Bigby sighed and turned to walk out of the office. "I know," he said.

He could be nice, too.


	4. Stories for Bedtime

**A/N: Hello everybody! First off, I want to apologize for the crappiness of last chapter. I just wanted to get it done, since I had been gone so long. But I think this one is good. Remember, if you like it, leave a comment. It really helps. I also want to adress some things:**

**wolfiepower: OMG, ****_the _****wolfiepower is reading this? Squee! I'm glad you like it.**

**LostHero171: This was originally a one shot, but people liked it, so I was like, "Why not?" and added more. I'm glad you were happy about it!**

**Cecilia: The confrontation has arrived. Enjoy!**

**A thank you to everyone who helped inspire me and encouraged me while I was making this chapter. Yes, that means you, Cecilia.**

I groaned in frustration and slammed the binder I was holding onto the table. I'd been here for an hour already, going through the records of people in the city, and so far, I hadn't found a single Jersey, Bigby, or Jack that fit the description of the ones I wanted. It didn't make sense. Why couldn't I find them?

I looked around the library, desperate for a break from my nonstop searching. There weren't a lot of people in the library today, just a couple kids doing research for school and an teenage girl with red hair sobbing quietly over a copy of Charolotte's Web. The librarian, an old woman with wispy white hair and crooked yellow teeth named Mrs. Trudy, was heaving a log into the fireplace in the corner. I heard her mutter, "There. Nice and bright."

I put my head in my hands and tried to think rationally. Why would these people's names not be in the city records? It was almost like they didn't exist. Or didn't want people to know about them...

I thought that night at Sheppard Metalworks, what I saw. What I heard. I remembered the disembodied voice, calling Bigby, 'The Big Bad Wolf.' I remembered him blowing all of the duplicates away once he had become a huge wolf.

The answer came so suddenly, it felt like I had been hit on the head with a frying pan. I was so _stupid!_

I stood up so quickly I almost knocked over the chair I was sitting in. I walked past the shelves full of old westerns and romances and settled on the aisle full of fairy tales for children. I walked down the aisle, scanning the shelves, until I found what I was looking for. _Fifteen Stories for Bedtime._ Perfect.

I pulled it off the shelf and walked back over to where I was sitting. I sat down and opened the book, scanning the table of contents. I found what I wanted and flipped to page ten. The picture on the page was simple enough: three pigs prancing happily behind the walls of a brick house, pulling faces at the giant wolf outside. The three little pigs.

I flipped to another page, and saw a picture of a young boy climbing down a huge vine, with a giant chasing after him. The title read _Jack and the Beanstalk_ in simple green letters. The picture was perfect; a younger version of Jack smiled at me from the pages.

My thoughts were racing at a million miles an hour. Jack and the Beanstalk. The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf. That crooked man from before... there was a poem about a crooked man.

But wait, what about Jersey? I racked my brains, trying to remember any story that mentioned someone named Jersey. I remembered vaguely an article in a newspaper from a few years ago. A couple having a picnic in the park had spotted something in one of the trees. When asked to describe it, they had said it looked like the legendary Jersey Devil. Was that it?

At that exact moment, I looked over to the front door. What I saw made my blood turn to ice in my veins. Bigby Wolf was walking through it. I watched, numb, as he pulled a packet of cigarettes from his pocket, took one out, and lit it. He took a long drag and started walking in my direction.

I panicked and hid behind the book of fairy tales, hoping he wouldn't see me. Maybe he was just here to get a book, and he would walk by and-

"Hello, Madison."

_Nonononononono! Okay, breathe, Madison. Act casual._ I forced a smile and lowered my book, trying to look pleasantly surprised. "Oh, hello Sheriff Wolf! Fancy meeting you here."

"Yeah, its a real coincidence," he said. He gestured with his cigarette to the seat across from me. "Mind if I sit down?"

"No, I don't mind at all," I said, trying as hard as I could not to draw attention to the fairy tale book. If he knew what I suspected...If he knew I was there that night...

"So, I want to thank you again for helping me the other day," said Bigby, after taking another drag of his cigarette and blowing smoke into the air. "You must have sharp reflexes. I saw you a couple times while I was arguing with Jack, and you didn't seem to be paying attention."

I snorted as derisively as I could. "To be fair, Sheriff, you yelling "stop" loud enough to bust my eardrums was a pretty big tip off."

Bigby grimaced. "True enough."

I saw what he was doing now. This was an interrogation. He suspected that I knew more than I was saying. He was being as subtle as possible in hopes that I'd slip. Well, two could play at that game.

Time for a good old-fashioned game of Truth and Lies.

"So," I said, trying to sound as if I was making conversation, "what exactly did that guy do that made you arrest him?"

Bigby frowned, clearly not used to being questioned instead of asking questions. "Jack Horner has a history of fraud, and was trying to sell a potentially dangerous item at the Lucky Pawn. He then tried to avoid questioning by running out the door...and into you. Bad luck on his part."

Hmm. True enough. Jack was always crafty in the stories.

"Gosh, really?" I tried to pour as much awe as I could into my voice, and made my eyes as wide and innocent as possible. "What was he trying to sell?"

Bigby dropped his spent cigarette on the floor and figetted uncomfortably. "Just an old piece of jewelry, but it tested positive for traces of poison. Fatal levels."

Clever answer. Give enough basic facts for it to not technically be a lie, but hide the details so it wasn't the truth. I could see he was trying to avoid the question. Pushing him on it would look suspicious, so I changed the subject.

"How badly was Jack hurt after I'd tackled him? He seemed to be in a lot of pain." I already knew Jack was just a big baby, but I needed a free turn to plan my next question.

Bigby growled. "He was fine. Jack's just a big baby."

I knew it.

I thought about what I needed to know, and finally thought of a good question. "You know, Sheriff, I'm a little surprised I haven't seen you anywhere before," I said carefully. "Are you on an exchange program? Or are you new?"

Bigby's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, and I knew I had asked the right question. "I transferred from another police division a few days ago."

Lie. Those pictures in the factory were more than a few days old. Some were from as far back as last winter.

I tried to look interested. "Really?" I said. "Where from?"

I saw a muscle clench in Bigby's jaw and his knuckles whiten on the tabletop."Black Forest. It's a little city up in Maine. They transferred me because they thought I might do better in a place with more crime."

Big fat reaction to an innocent question. Lie.

Bigby seized the opportunity to take a turn. "So, that friend of your's, Mr. Wolf. Do I really look like him?"

Ah. So they were onto me. I shrugged. "Not really, but you have the same hair, and kind of the same voice, and I was thinking of him before we started talking."

"Oh." Bigby seemed disappointed. He looked at his hands. "Before I go, what where you doing outside the Lucky Pawn? Kind of a shitty place for a woman like you."

Oh my gosh. They really _were_ onto me. And _woman?!_

I giggled a little hysterically. "Listen, Sheriff, I'm only sixteen years old. I'm not a woman yet. And to answer your question, I was a little tired from walking home from school, so I stopped outside to listen to some music. That's all." Not technically a lie. Walking home every day was tiring.

Bigby stared at me. "_Sixteen?_ You look a lot older than sixteen."

I huffed. "Yeah, I get that a lot." Also true. Annoying, but true.

Bigby snorted. "Well, it was nice talking to you. By the way, I told my boss about what happened with Jack. She was impressed."

My mouth tasted like sawdust. His _boss?_ Who could control the Big Bad Wolf? The Kraken? I swallowed. "Really?" I croaked. "It wasn't that big of a deal."

"Maybe not to you, but do you know how much paperwork an escaped suspect means? You sure saved my ass," said Bigby, smiling.

Bigby stood up and pulled his packet of cigarettes out of his pocket. From this close, I could see the label. _Huff n' Puff's._ Despite my fear, I barely managed to keep from smirking. _Really?_

After lighting a new cigarette, Bigby walked away, throwing a casual, "Bye, Madison," over his shoulder. I frowned, a little offended.

I sat there, thinking about what had just happened. I had learned a lot from that conversation, and from coming here. However, I had also learned that Bigby and his 'boss' knew that I suspected them.

I shivered, suddenly cold. I looked down at the book of fairy tales next to me, no longer just stories for bedtime.


	5. Discovered

**A/N Hello once again! Sorry if I was a little late uploading this, but I got some writer's block. Now, before we start, I want to say, please, please, ****_please _****feel free to leave a comment. i don't care if it's flames or whatever, but comments are super important, more important than views. So please, leave one!**

**Guest: I believe you mean a forensic scientist.**

**LostHero171: I intended for it to be. Glad it worked!**

**Cecilia: HAHA! For once you didn't know what was coming! I'm glad you liked it!**

**And now, on with the story!**

As he walked back to the business office, Bigby thought about his conversation with Madison. Something about her didn't sit right with the sheriff, but, at the same time, he couldn't seem to find anything wrong with what she said. Sure, she had seemed nervous around him, but Mundies were always nervous around him. Even though they didn't know who or what he was, they could tell he was different, and not to be messed with.

Bigby frowned, dropping his mostly spent cigarette and pausing to grind it under his shoe. Madison had seemed a little too interested his history, which seemed odd, but he could pass that off to being young and too curious for her own damn good. Still, there was something about her that seemed off.

He thought back to their conversation, straining for every detail. When he had walked in, he saw her hide her face behind a book. That in itself was suspicious, but there was something odd about that book. It was...

Bigby's eyes widened. A book of fairy tales.

Now, Bigby may have been better with Fables then Mundies, but he knew that sixteen seemed too old to be reading a book made for small children. Which could only mean one thing. She knew.

The rest of the trip to the Business Office was a blur. He ran straight to Snow's office, passed the line of Fables outside, and threw open her door to reveal Snow, as per usual, leaning over her desk, studying complaints from the residents of Fabletown.

Snow looked up, alarmed at Bigby's sudden entrance. "Bigby? What's wrong?" she asked.

Bigby walked up to Snow's desk. 'Snow," he said somberly. "I talked to Madison at the library."

Snow stared at him expectantly, a small, nervous feeling growing in the pit of her stomach. "And?"

"And," said Bigby, "she knows."

Snow stared at Bigby in shock. "Are you sure?"

"Positive." Now that he remembered what book she had been reading, everything else made sense: her reluctance to talk to him, her curiosity over where he was from, everything. Her quick reaction to Jack's attempted escape wasn't sharp reflexes; she had been listening in the whole time.

Snow stood up, still not quite believing what Bigby was telling her. "How could she have found out? Do you think she saw Toad out of glamour? He never did seem to have his on..." she trailed off.

Bigby thought hard. The library had masked most smells from the outside, and he could remember Madison's scent clearly. Over top her own natural smell she had carried the scent of grease, rust, and oil, several days old, but unmistakable. The last place he had smelled that was...

Bigby's heart climbed to his throat. "Snow, I think she saw me fight Mary. At the old metal factory."

"Wait, you mean when you..." Her question trailed off. The solemn look in Bigby's eyes was all the conformation she needed. "Oh, Bigby, what the hell are we going to do?" she cried, her calm exterior cracking. "She could tell people!"

"Calm down, Snow. This isn't that bad," reassured Bigby. "We just have to make sure she doesn't tell anyone."

"By doing what?" Snow glared at him, eyes blazing. "By killing her? You said she was nineteen! Have we really stooped so low as to kill a teenager?"

"Snow, relax!" pleaded Bigby, holding up his hands in a calming gesture. "I never said that. Look, if she hasn't told anyone yet, maybe we can convince her to be quiet. Or, we could ask Auntie Greenleaf for a memory wiping spell, make her forget the whole thing."

"Fine," Snow snapped. "Let's go talk to her, then. Do you know where she lives?"

"No, but I can ask the mirror," said Bigby.

"Go. Ask. Then." ground out Snow through her teeth. "And tell me as soon as you know. We have to cut this off before every Mundy in New York finds out!"

Bigby flinched, aware that Snow wasn't just stressed, she was angry. At him. Like it was his fault he had needed to revert to his true form to fight Mary! However, he didn't say anything, but instead walked over to the mirror as Snow called Bufkin over so they could talk in low voices.

As usual, the glass of the mirror swirled until a green face appeared in the mist. "What do you wish to know, Sheriff?"

Bigby wasted no time with complaining about his lack of poetry skill. "Mirror, mirror, help me out! Show me where Madison hangs out."

The mirror sighed. "Not quite a rhyme, but times are dire. I shall show you what you desire." The glass swirled until Bigby could make out an apartment building, not nearly as high-class as The Woodlands. The sign outside the front gate said, in tarnished gold letters, _New Cambridge Complex._ Then, the picture faded, and the mirror's face replaced it. "Thanks, Mirror," said Bigby hurriedly, as he strode back over to Snow White, who had finished talking to Bufkin and was now standing and wringing her hands.

"What were you talking to Bufkin about? asked Bigby.

"Just asking if he remembered how much a memory spell cost these days." Snow winced. "They aren't cheap, I'm afraid. But that doesn't matter. Did you get it?"

Bigby nodded. "A place called New Cambridge Complex. When should we leave?"

"Tonight," answered Snow immediately. "We'll see if we can't convince her to keep Fabletown a secret. And if not, we'll get a memory spell from Greenleaf."

Bigby nodded. "Tonight it is. Should we tell Bluebeard?"

Snow grimaced. "I think we should. You know how he is. If we don't tell him and he finds out..."

Bigby finished for her. "He'll be a pain in the ass for the rest of the week. I'll tell him now."

Bigby left the room, thoughts swimming. For the first time in over sixty years, a Mundy had found out about Fabletown. Bigby shuddered to think about what would happen if Madison was anything like the last guy who found out.


	6. I swear, I didn't tell

**A/N Hello everyone! The time has arrived for the confrontation! Thank you for the reviews! Let me address a couple:**

** LostHero171: I hope you do! It would help so much! And I'm glad you like the action buildup!**

** Skorpiee: You want confrontation? I'll give you confrontation!**

** Cecilia: As always, your kind words have inspired me to great hieghts! Thank you sooo much! Also, vegetable peelers.**

** Guest: Here's what happened.**

** I've rambled on long enough. Remember, if you like it, leave a comment. It really helps! Now, let the story continue!**

_Swish!_ The silver blade of the katana just missed my ear as I dived, wildly flailing my own sword at my attacker. I hit the ground with a _whumph _and felt all the air leave my lungs in a rush. My sword clattered to the ground a few feet away. I lay there, gasping, and looked up to see the katana pointed directly at my head. Chyna was grinning at me with her usual mocking grin. "Need to be faster than that, Madison," she said, holding out a pale hand. I took it, gritting my teeth as she pulled me to my feet.

"I'm trying," I hissed through my teeth. "You're better at this than I am."

She laughed, and I saw her eyes glitter with amusement, one blue, one red. "Yeah, I know," she giggled. "Be glad that this is only a dream."

I blew my bangs back in exasperation. "Y'know, I always heard that dream characters are supposed to _deny _the fact that you're dreaming." Yes, I knew I was dreaming. I'd been able to control my dreams since I was little. Chyna had been a character in them for a while, now. And unfortunately, she was _still _better with a katana.

Still smiling, Chyna rubbed her hand along the blade of her sword, silver, with a dark blue ribbon on the hilt. She opened her mouth to say something, then, suddenly, she closed it and frowned. "Wait, do you hear that?" she asked.

I listened. Now that she mentioned it, I could hear something, faint voices muttering words I could just make out. "...sure...mother...sleeping spell...which room.."

"I think you have to wake up now, Mads," said Chyna nervously. "I think that someone's in your house."

She didn't have to tell me twice. Closing my eyes, I concentrated on myself being in bed. Suddenly, I found myself lying under the cover in my bedroom. And there _were _people in the apartment.

"Bigby, are you sure this is the right place?" said a woman's voice. I heard Bigby's rough voice respond. "Positive. I can smell her all over the place."

"I still think we should just kill the bitch and get it over with," growled a third voice. It was a man's, but I didn't recognize him.

My heart started to pound. My worst fears had come true. They knew that I knew, and now they were going to kill me. I heard the woman say something to the man, probably advice on how best to kill me.

Scared as I was, I felt anger heating my blood. No way _in hell _was I going down this easily, curled up in bed.

I got out of bed as silently as I could, and walked out of my bedroom. I heard the voices talking at the end of the hall, so I tiptoed into the kitchen. I opened one of the drawers and carefully searched it, looking for a weapon.

Tense as I was, when I heard footsteps behind me, I kind of panicked. I grabbed the first thing I could from the drawers and whirled around, wielding it like a sword. "S-stay back!" I warned.

In front of me were three people. One of them was Bigby, dressed in his usual shirt and tie, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. The second was a woman I remembered from one of the pictures at Sheppard Metalworks, the woman with black hair, red lips, and snow-white skin...Snow White, maybe? She was dressed in a blue blouse decorated with snowflakes, with a beige suit and skirt over it.

The third person was a bald man with a pointy beard. He wore a red silk shirt and was glaring at me like I'd killed his mother.

Without warning, he walked up to me and slapped me hard across the face. "Out with it, bitch!" he bellowed as I grabbed my throbbing face, biting back tears. "Who have you told?"

Before I could say anything, Bigby had pinned the man to the floor. "Bluebeard! What is your fucking problem? We said we were gonna talk to her first!"

"_You _said that, Sheriff!" spat Bluebeard. "_I_ never agreed to it! And before we decide to let her live, we need to know if she told anyone!"

"Bluebeard!" snapped the woman, who I assumed was Snow White. "We came here to talk first. Don't make me regret bringing you along!" She turned to me with an apologetic expression. "Sorry about that. Bluebeard can get a little...overzealous sometimes." She gestured to the table in the corner of the kitchen. "Why don't you sit down? We have a lot to discuss."

"Like what?" I spat. "How you should kill me?"

Snow looked surprised. "What? I don't kn-"

"Save it! I already know how this works! Once you know how many other people know about your little group of story book friends, your big bad buddy over here-" I pointed at Bigby, who seemed surprised. "Is gonna make sure I don't tell anyone else. So quit it with the damn mind games and _take your best shot!_"

Bigby smiled condescendingly at me. "What are you gonna do, Madison? Peel us to death?"

I looked at what I had grabbed from the drawer and realized I was holding a vegetable peeler. Great.

I realized I had a big problem. There were three of them, and only one of me. So I did the only thing I could think of.

I threw the vegetable peeler as hard as I could at Bigby and ran for the door.

I heard yelling behind me, and footsteps, but I didn't care. As I ran, I started knocking over things in an attempt to slow down whoever was chasing me. They cursed, and from the tone of voice, I think it was Bluebeard.

Just as I entered the hall that led to the door, someone tackled me at the legs and we both fell to the floor. I squirmed and managed to roll over, only to see Bluebeard on top of me. Holding the vegetable peeler.

"Alright," he panted, placing the blade on my face. "Who have you told?"

"No one," I cried, squirming as hard as I could, but Bluebeard was stronger. He sneered. "I don't believe you," he said, and then, before I could brace myself, he dragged the blade down my cheek.

Pain traced a fiery path down my face. I kicked and thrashed and screamed, but Bluebeard was grinning, and I felt blood trickling down my face, and I could _see _a thin strip of flesh curling from the blade...

Then Bluebeard was gone, and I was gasping and sobbing on the floor, holding my face and feeling the long cut that spanned from under my left eye to the corner of my mouth. I looked on the floor and saw Bluebeard out cold, blood gushing from his nose. Bigby was standing over him, breathing heavily.

Snow hurried over. "Oh, Madison, I'm so sorry!" she cried. "We should have made him stay at the Business Office. I knew he had less then moral methods to getting answers, but I never thought... Listen. We aren't here to hurt you. We just want to talk."

I stood up, still shaky. I glared at her with the angriest face I could. "How long until 'talk' turns into this?" I snarled, pointing to the gash on my face.

"Listen," growled Bigby. "We're telling the truth. Just because this asshole here-" he kicked Bluebeard's limp body, "-feels the need to cut everything he doesn't like, doesn't mean we do."

"Who's 'we'?" I demanded. "Other fairy tale characters? Like _you, _Snow White? Oh, shut up," I said, as Snow let out a little gasp of surprise. "Once I started looking, it was pretty obvious. I _saw _him-" I pointed at Bigby, "fight that-that _demon _at the old metal factory two days ago. I know, alright? The Big Bad Wolf. Jack. The Jersey Devil. And who knows how many more? All here in New York City!"

Snow waited until I finished raving. When I was done, she said, "Well, you certainly are the smart one. You figured out _that _much in just two days?"

I nodded. "Yep. But I told Bluebeard the truth. I haven't told anyone about what I found out."

Snow turned to Bigby. "Is she lying?"

He shook his head. "I don't think so."

Relief spread across Snow White's face. "Good." She turned back to me. "Madison, would you please come with us to my office? I swear, we just want to talk. We'll answer any questions you have. And we'll keep _him-" _she pointed at Bluebeard, "-from hurting you. Oh, and don't worry about your mom. We used a temporary sleeping spell. She won't wake up until tomorrow morning."

I thought it over. Did I really want to go? Finally getting some more answers would be nice, but how soon until Bigby went wolf on me and tried to finish what Bluebeard started? Still, something told me that they were telling the truth.

"Ok," I said, nodding in Snow's direction, " take me to your office."


	7. We can reach an agreement

**A/N Hello! Boy, this chapter did NOT want to be written. But here it is. I have to say, i'm a little worried about how many people now have vegetable peeler phobia due to that last chapter *Coughcough* LostHero *Coughcough* But, don't worry! This chapter is 100 % vegetable peeler free! **

** Losthero171: I studied every trap in every Saw movie, and there aren't any vegetable peelers. I think Silence of the Lambs would be a better comparison. However, I'm glad you liked this chapter!**

** Cecilia: Yes, vegetable peelers can be nasty, but only when Bluebeard is weilding them. He is a jerk.**

** Skorpiee: Remember, though, Lee isn't here... And maybe the dreaming will be important...**

** Moo Giraffe: You say inventive like it's a bad thing! Still, glad you liked it!**

** Shotgun steve: Nothing is easy when Bluebeard is involved..*sigh***

** Pheonix of Hope 42: Here is your update!**

** Remember, if you like this story, leave a comment! It helps a bunch. And if you don't like it, comment so I can fix what you don't like. Remember, this is my first fanfic ever. I'm getting used to storytelling for the public.**

** Bucketfuls of credit go to the ever-awesome Cecilia Green. Thaaaaank Yoooou!**

** But enough chatter. Let the story begin!**

As soon as I walked into Snow White's office, my jaw dropped. It was a huge room, filled with clutter that looked like it came straight out of my Grandmother's attic. There were perfectly normal things, like ornate wooden dressers piled with books, but also unusual things, like a stuffed rhino's head over the door. Overhead, there was a perfect model of a pirate ship slowly circling the room. Farther back, I saw even _more _stuff, including a silver chariot and what looked like a huge metal hand. Most noticeable, however, was a giant, and I mean _giant, _tree that took up almost all of the alcove at the back of the room.

Snow noticed me gaping and smiled. "Sorry about the mess. Over the centuries, stuff tends to...pile up."

I was too shocked to even notice how she had said centuries as easily as I said days. We walked to the center of the room, which contained a wooden desk with a little plaque that said _Snow White, Deputy Mayor. _Sitting in the chair behind the desk was... a green monkey. With wings.

The monkey turned as we approached the desk and smiled. "Ah, welcome back Ms. White, Mr. Bigby," it said in a nasally, distinctively male voice. "What happened to him?" He pointed to the unconscious Bluebeard, whom Bigby had slung over his shoulder.

Bigby growled. "I beat the shit out of him, that's what happened."

Snow frowned. "Bigby was forced to restrain him due to his...unacceptable methods of gaining information from a minor."

For the first time, the monkey seemed to notice me. "Oh, hello, young lady," he said. "What is your name?" I shook my head a little, still dazed at seeing a green, _winged _monkey. "M-Madison," I stammered, then added, more clearly, "My name is Madison. What's _your _name?"

He grinned at me. "My name is Bufkin. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Madison."

I grinned back. "The pleasure's all mine, Bufkin." Monkey or not, there was no reason for me to be rude to him.

Snow gestured over to her desk, where three chairs had been pulled up. "Well, Madison, if you take a seat we can get started." Without another word, she nodded to Bufkin, who flew off.

I took the chair opposite to Snow's seat. Bigby sat next to me and pulled a packet of cigarettes out of his pocket. I couldn't help but smirk. "Huff n' Puff? Really?"

He glared defensively, holding the now lit cigarette between his teeth. "Listen, just because you're a kid doesn't mean you get to mouth off. I can smoke whatever damn brand I want."

I shrank back. "Ok, fine," I muttered, turning back to face Snow White. She had her hands folded in front of her and was looking at me expectantly. "So, why don't we start by you telling us how you found out? From the beginning, please."

Taking a deep breath, I started. "One day, a boy in my class dared me to go to the old metal factory..."

I talked for what seemed like hours, listing everything I had seen, everything I knew. I described Bigby's fight at Sheppard Metalworks, how I watched the whole thing from inside an old barrel. Bigby frowned, blowing smoke from between his teeth. "I thought I smelled someone there," he muttered. "But with all the other shit going on, I didn't think about it."

I waited for him to finish, then continued. I told them how I saw Bigby arrest Jack at Jersey's shop, and how I started to suspect they may not be entirely human. I said how I went to the library to do some research, and finally saw the similarities between the stuff I had seen and heard and the old bedtime stories.

"Then," I finished. "Bigby here came and interrogated me for about ten minutes. I went home, went to bed, and, well, you know the rest."

Snow leaned forward, smiling at me. "You are by far the smartest Mundy I've seen in a long time, Madison. Especially at your age."

"What is a 'Mundy', by the way?" I asked. "I keep hearing people say that."

"A Mundy is...well, what we call a person you might describe as 'normal'," said Snow. "It's short for Mundane."

"Ok," I said, leaning back and processing this information. " So, do _I _get to ask questions now?" Snow nodded. "Of course."

"First off...gosh, I don't even know where to start. First off, how many of you are there? Are you all over the planet? Or just in America?"

"Most Fables stay in Fabletown, or as you probably know it, Bullfinch street," explained Snow. "Some do go abroad, but very few. Any Fables that aren't able to pass as human are relocated to a place called the Farm, north of here."

"Wait, but Bigby...I mean, I saw him at the factory. How can he _ever _look human?"

Bigby was the one who answered. "I'm kind of...a special case. Snow gave me this knife a long time ago, that was supposed to let men become wolves...or the other way around. Most other Fables, though, _they _have to buy Glamours from witches. They make them look human."

"Ok, then. Is that what you call yourselves? Fables?"

"Yes," said Snow.

"Well, where did you come from? Or were you always here?"

Snow sighed, as if recalling old, happy memories. "We came from a place we called the Homelands. Hundreds of years ago, we were driven out by the armies of an enemy known only as the Adversary. A lot of Fables didn't make it, but the ones that did came here to start over."

Hmm. I wasn't going to lie, I was interested. To think that there had been this secret community living here for hundreds of years. Was I really the first to find out?

"Has anyone else ever found out about you?" I asked.

Snow grimaced. "There was one man in the 20s... But it doesn't matter now."

She wouldn't meet my eyes, and I could tell she was avoiding the question. Worst of all, I was pretty sure I knew why. "What happened to this man?" I asked quietly.

Snow fidgetted. "Madison...It isn't really my place t-"

"You killed him, didn't you?" I said, flatly.

Snow looked at me, her eyes filling with tears. "Yes, Madison. We did."

I sighed. What was I expecting? To come her and walk away unscathed? It all made sense now. They answered all my questions because they knew it didn't matter if I knew or not. I wouldn't live to tell anyone. I leaned over and studied the floor. "I guess I'm next, then." I whispered, tears blurring my vision.

"No, of course not!" Snow cried, startling me and making me look up. She was standing up, wringing her hands together, and looking horrified. "That was entirely different! He was going to tell people, expose us to the government, all kinds of things! If what you say is true, that you haven't told anyone, then I don't see any reason we can't come to an agreement!"

"Agreement?" I sat up, feeling a spark of hope burn in my chest. "If it means I don't die, I'm open to agreements."

Snow smiled. "Good. Here's the deal: if you _swear, _on your own life, to never tell anyone anything about Fabletown or any of it's residents, you will be allowed to live your life normally. If we hear that you _have _told someone, however," her voice dropped, becoming serious, "we will have no choice but to use a memory modification spell, so that you forget everything about us. Is that a fair deal?"

I jumped up, a huge smile on my face, and grabbed Snow in a hug, much to her surprise. "Yes!" I cried, overjoyed. "It's a deal! Thank you so much!"

I let go, and I saw Snow smiling. "You're welcome." She nodded to Bigby, who had been smirking throughout this whole scene. "If you follow Bigby, he'll take you back to your apartment. But Madison-" she said, suddenly serious, "-be careful. Other Fables might not want you to know, and they might feel the need to resort to vigilante justice if they find out you know about Fabletown. So don't tell them, ok?"

"Ok!" I said cheerfully, following Bigby as he got up and headed for the door. I couldn't be happier. I wasn't going to die. I would live. And even better, I had seen a world of magic most people couldn't even dream of.

Life was good.

**There we go. The last chapter. RIP Madison. I hope you liked "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" I will see you in my next story. Goodbye, all!**

**Just kidding! There is plenty left in store for our young hero. Stay tuned!**


	8. Let's skip ahead a bit

**A/N Hello everyone! After a teeny tiny break, I'm back! Seems like I scared most of you with my like joke at the end of the last chapter, hmm? Don't worry, there should be a minimum of three chapters after this. Now, lets adress some stuff, shall we?**

**LostHero171: Glad you're gonna keep commenting! It really helps drive me to write more. Oh, and I fixed the mistake.**

**Skorpiee: Thank you for your patience. And of course I'm cruel, didn't you read Animals by Cecilia Green? Check the end of chapter 14 and tell me if you recognize anyone...**

**Cecilia: Whoa, no need for vegetable peelers! The next chapter is in! And of course the deal will go sour. This **_**is **_**Fabletown, after all!**

**But enough idle chit-chat. Remember, if you like it, leave a comment! It really helps!**

**LET THE STORY BEGIN!**

"Could I get a small glass of Midas Gold, please?"

The person working the bar counter, an intimidating woman with shoulder-length white hair and a flowering vine tatoo curling over her collarbone, turned without a word, dug a bottle out from under the counter, and poured the contents into a glass. She held it out to me. "Five bucks, honey."

I handed over the cash and took the drink. I looked at the woman and smiled. "Thanks." She ignored me. I eyed the glass a little nervously. Today was my twenty first birthday, and this was my first drink. Hesitantly, I raised the glass to my lips and took a sip.

I almost spit it right back out. As it was, I barely managed to swallow the mouthful of bitter, dry liquid without gagging. I slammed the glass back onto the counter, coughing. The woman behind the counter and the man sitting two seats away from me both stared reproachfully at me. "Listen, sister," growled the bartender, "if you think it's that bad, then get the hell out of my bar and try someplace else."

I shrank back from the venom in her words. "N-no, it's not that," I stammered. "It's just... This is my first drink. I wasn't expecting it to have so much...kick."

"No kiddin'?" said the woman in disbelief. "How old are you, exactly?"

I smiled. "Today's my twenty first birthday. I thought I'd celebrate. I heard from a friend that this was a good place."

_"So what did you do?" I had asked, staring at Bigby with awe. He'd snorted. "I punched that little shit right in the face. We ended up having a huge fight. Tore up most of the bar." "Really?" I'd said. "Wow, remind me to go there when I'm old enough to drink."_

"Fuck off," said the guy next to me, staring. He was a tall, lanky guy with black, Elvis style hair and one blind eye that had no iris or pupil, just white. "No way are you only twenty one."

I blew my bangs out of my eyes with an exasperated huff. "_Everybody _says that!" I turned back to the woman behind the counter. "Do you have water here, Ms...uh.."

"Holly," she supplied. "Call me Holly. And yeah, we have water, if you have five more bucks."

I dug another five out of my pocket and handed it to her. She took it and turned around, getting out another glass and filling it with water. She held it out to me and I gratefully accepted. "Thanks."

This time she smiled. "Don't mention it, hon. You still gotta drink the beer, though."

Ugh. I gulped down the rest of the drink as fast as I could, then put the glass back on the table before grabbing the glass of water and downing it in one go. "No more beer for me," I chuckled. "Do I leave a tip?"

"If you want to come back, ya do," said Holly. I smiled at her and dug out one last five from my pocket. I stuck it under my glass and, with a casual, "Bye" walked out of the bar. Once I was on the sidewalk, I checked my watch. Four-fifteen. Snow had asked me to meet her at the Business Office at four-thirty. She hadn't gone into specifics, but she had sounded really excited, and I didn't want to disappoint her. I hoped Bluebeard wasn't there. He tended to get...upset when I went to the office.

_ Bluebeard had showed up at my house day after I first went to the Business Office. He said he wanted to make one thing clear. If he heard that I'd so much as _mentioned _Fabletown to anyone, he was going to slit my throat in my sleep. "And," he'd spat, "I don't care what Snow and her little lap dog say about it!"_

The line outside the office was as long as usual. Just as I was starting to worry about how long I'd have to wait, the door opened, and Snow walked out, dressed in her usual suit. She smiled when she saw me. "Ah, hello Madison," she said. "Right this way."

I followed her, self-concious. All the people in line stared jealously at me as I went inside.

_"Are you sure it's okay for me to visit like this, Snow?" I'd asked. "I mean, won't it make people suspicious?" Snow frowned. "Maybe, but there were so many of us that we still really aren't sure who did and didn't make it from the Homelands. As long as you don't say otherwise, you should be fine." She'd smiled at me. "You're always welcome, Madison."_

"So, why did you want me to come here, Snow?" I asked as we walked through the familiar cluttered room. I heard a fluttering noise and turned to see Bufkin perched on top of a dresser. "Hello, Bufkin."

"Hello, Ms. Madison," he said cheerfully. "Happy birthday!"

I grinned. "Bufkin, you never cease to amaze me." How he managed to remember my birthday on top of everything else he had to do was beyond me. Must be a monkey thing.

"Madison, I brought you here today to offer you something," Snow said, turning to look at me with her hands clasped behind your back. "As we both know, your current employment is...unsatisfactory, to say the least." I sighed.

_"And to top it all off," I'd shouted. "My perverted boss keeps staring at me like I'm...I'm.. I'm some kind of fancy toy!" I'd sighed, slumping my shoulders. "But it's the only thing I have right now." Bigby stared at me, then took a long drag of his cigarrete. "Sounds like a real shit job."_

"Yeah, you could say that," I said, humorlessly. I had barely managed to keep my job at a shady diner for the past three years, but it was the only thing paying for my apartment, so I had to deal with it. Even if my boss got too...up close and personal most of the time.

"Well, how would you like to work for me instead?" Snow said, a huge grin on her face.

It took me a second to fully process what she said. Once I did, I felt my face stretch into a grin to match her's. "Yes!" I shouted, jumping in the air. "Yes, of course yes!"

"Good," said Snow. "You start this Friday at one in the afternoon. It's a simple job; every day I'll give you some papers and records, and you have to file them. Easy enough?"

"Yep!" I said, and, without another word, I hugged Snow and bounced out of her office.

Today, was by far, my best birthday ever.


	9. First day at work

**A/N Hello again! Sorry I'm a **_**little **_**late with this, but you know by now how this works. School starts soon, so I might have to start updating only once a week at best. Sorry! But enough doom and gloom. Time for...*dramatic pause* COMMENT REVIEW TIME!**

** Cecilia: One good turn deserves another. I haven't forgotten how you advertised this. Thanks for the review.**

** LostHero171: Eh, Snow is probably used to hugs by now. She's known Mads for like five years. And I was just describing what I think of beer. I tried it once. That shiz is nasty! And I'm really, really, *insert fifty more reallys* glad that you like this! Reviews mean a bunch!**

** Man, I have to say though, I'm a little sad. I'm getting, what, 2-3 reviews per chapter? C'mon people! Even if you don't like it, tell me what I'm doing wrong! Help me out! Leave a review!**

**Enough of my whining though. Say it with me now. *pause* LET THE STORY BEGIN!**

I woke up on Friday morning so excited, I thought I was going to explode. I spent _all morning _getting ready, which is weird for me, because I was never really a girly girl. Still, I wanted to make a good impression. I was gonna pull out _all _the stops!

First, I had a shower. I basically took off a layer of skin scrubbing myself, and I used some fancy soap a friend of mine had given me but that I'd never used. Once I'd finished, I spent a whole hour doing my hair, trying to get it just right. Eventually, I just settled for a bun held in place with a bottle's worth of hairspray.

I spent another hour trying to decide what to wear. Was I supposed to dress casual? What if I showed up in old clothes and it turns out I was supposed to wear a suit or something? But what if I showed up in a suit and ended looking stupid? Eventually, I put on a clean white shirt and a pair of black dress pants, deciding that the best thing to do was to meet in the middle.

I looked at the clock. How was it already twelve in the afternoon? I bustled around my tiny kitchen, made myself a sandwich and a cup of coffee. After I finished eating, I couldn't help but put on a little makeup before I left. I was ready.

I walked to the Business Office, and, after hesitating slightly at the door, knocked. I heard Snow's tired, "Come in," so I opened the door.

Inside, I walked up to Snow's desk, where she was, as usual, sorting through papers and complaints from other Fables. I stood across from her patiently, but she didn't seem to notice me. I cleared my throat loudly, and she jumped.

"Oh, hello Madison! You look nice," she said. I smiled. "Thank you, Ms. White. What do you want me to do first?"

Snow blushed slightly. "No need for the formalities, Madison. And as for what you can do, Bufkin will show you to your desk and explain what you're doing today."

I heard the quiet flutter of wing behind be and turned around to see a familiar smudge of green. "Good after noon, Bufkin," I said. Bufkin landed on the floor in front of me. "Ah, good afternoon, Ms. Madison," he said in his official little voice. "Follow me, there's much to be done."

He took off in a flurry of green, and I followed, slightly nervous. What if i messed up on my first day? What if they fired me? I'd already quit my other job at the diner. If I was fired, I would have no way to get money! I'd be doomed! Or worse, I'd have to go and beg for my old job back. What if my old boss took advantage of my situation and made me-

"Here is your desk, Ms. Madison," said Bufkin, jarring me out of my train of thought. I looked up to see a wooden desk nestled between a bookshelf and a pumpkin the size of a car. On the desk was a stack of papers almost as tall as I was. "Your job for today," continued Bufkin, "is to sort these papers into different categories." He pointed to several folders and boxes on the desk. "Invoices, receipts, or any sort of bill go in this box," he pointed to a large green box. "Letters from Fables go in the is tray for Ms. White. Any complaints or crime reports go in this tray for Mr. Bigby to pick up later. And anything else goes in this folder. Make sure you read the papers carefully, so you don't have to redo anything. Come and get me when you finish. And don't worry if you aren't done today." Without another word, the monkey spread his wings and flew off.

I looked up at the teetering tower of papers and sighed. This was going to take a while. I sat on my chair and started.

_Six hours later..._

After reading another report from Mr. Toad about how terrible the Farm was and placing it in the correct tray, I sighed and leaned back, rubbing my temples. This job was infinitely better than my other one, but boy, did reading all those papers give you a headache! And I had only gotten maybe halfway through my pile. With a groan, I picked up another paper and started to read.

_Puddin n' Pie Dance Club_

_Appointment fee: 100.00_

_Destructive behavior fee: 50.00_

_In signing this, you understand that you, and you alone, are responsible for the condition of out dancers while they are with you during appointments. Any mistreatment of our staff will result in fees accordingly priced. We hope that you had a satisfying appointment and look forward to seeing you here again!_

The bottom line was signed: _Bluebeard._

My breath caught in my throat. The Puddin' n' Pie wasn't a dance club. It was a _strip club!_ What the heck was Bluebeard doing making appointments there? And _destructive behavior..._ Was he _abusive?_

This was too much to take in. I'd never liked Bluebeard, but knowing that he was doing this...it was unacceptable.

I checked my watch. It was seven. Snow said I was finished at seven. I stood up and shoved the paper into my pocket. Walking quickly, I thanked Snow and left the office. I had to go home and think about what to do about this.

As Madison left the office, two people were watching her, two people that had seen everything. One of them was Bufkin, who was staring wide-eyed at the other person. They glared at Madison's retreating figure, not realizing that Bufkin was watching them.

It was Bluebeard.


	10. Pray that you never need it

**A/N: Hello Everyone! Two updates in one day? *Gasp* Ridiculus! But I always try to think inside the chimney (cyber cookie to whoever gets the reference) so here you are! Before I do anything else, I want to say thanks to three people who have graced me with frequent reviews, one of them in particular.**

** Skorpiee, I actually was a bit...put out when I saw you hadn't commented. But don't worry! You've commented now! And no, you did not misunderstand. Bluebeard has always been unacceptable in my opinion. And the worst thing is, no one **_**ever **_**complains, because he pays most of Fabletown's bills! And yes, all will be revealed in the next few chapters!**

** LostHero171, I am blushing so hard right now at all of your praise. Don't worry about saying I loved it too much, because if it ain't broke, you don't have to fix it.**

** And finally, Cecilia, what can I say? You have beta'd nearly every chapter of this story. You leave great, supportive comments. You truly are awesome! Oh, and don't worry. By the end of the story, Bluebeard is **_**reeeeaaallllly **_**gonna wish he'd just left Madison alone. But of course, you already knew that.**

** Here we go. Say it all together now. **

** LET THE STORY BEGIN!**

I leaned back on the plush surface of the cloud, wondering what the heck I was going to do. I turned over and saw Chyna, swinging her legs over the end of the cloud, staring at the sky. She looked over when she noticed me staring at her. "You know you have to tell them, Mads," she chided.

I sighed. "Yeah, I know. It's just... I can't believe he would do something like this. I mean, I always knew he was a terrible person, but... _abusing hookers? _That's just terrible. Especially after all the stuff Bigby told me about that place, and what the people there went through." I shuddered, remembering the tales of enslavement and beheading. It honestly surprised me that it was still open.

"But it's more than that, isn't it?" said Chyna, twisting so she sat legs crossed on the cloud. "You're afraid of what happens when you tell them. Of what Bluebeard will do to you after they find out."

I groaned. The _huge _downside of having a dream buddy was that they knew pretty much _everything _about you, whether you told them or not. "Yeah, that too. I still remember five years ago..." I winced, and touched a hand to my cheek, feeling the phantom pain of flesh being stripped from muscle. "What will he do to me for exposing him?"

"I don't know," mused Chyna. "But I do know you still have to-" she stopped, a confused look on her face. "Do you hear banging?" she asked.

I listened. Now that she mentioned it, I could here a knocking noise growing steadily louder, coming from everywhere. I turned to say something to Chyna, but suddenly the world dissolved in a blur of color. And before I knew it, I was in my bed. The knocking noise was much louder, quick, impatient banging. It was coming from my window.

I stood up, yawned, and walked over to the window to find...Bufkin. He looked scared and he was holding a vial of green liquid. "Bufkin? What are you-" I stopped to yawn, "-doing here in the middle of the night?"

"Terribly sorry to bother you, Ms. Madison, but I believe you may be in terrible danger!" he squeaked.

That woke me up. "What?" I gasped. "Why?"

"It's Bluebeard. He saw you reading that invoice from the Puddin n' Pie. He's coming to silence you. He never liked you anyway, but this, combined with Snow hiring you, was the last straw. He wants you _dead._"

I stared at him, completely unable to speak. The idea that Bluebeard was coming to kill me made no sense, but it also made perfect sense. I finally regained my voice. "What should I do?" I gasped. "Hide?"

Bufkin shook his head. "That won't work. He'll find you. The only thing to do is go to the Business Office right now, and tell Snow and Bigby. They'll protect you." He held out the vial. "If, for some reason, Bluebeard gets you first, use this."

I took the vial from him. The mixture inside glowed faintly, and the glass was warm to the touch. "What is this stuff?" I asked.

"I presume, Ms. Madison, you've heard of the tale of Jekyll and Hyde?" I nodded, eyes widening. "You mean...this is..."

He nodded. "Yes. This is the very potion that transformed Jekyll into Hyde. He was a Fable, but as far as I know, he defected to the Adversary's side. It has a different affect on Mundies then it does on Fables."

"What will it do?"

"If you drink it, your speed, strenghth, and senses will increase a hundred fold for exactly five hours. However, it will also drive you mad. I would have brought something safer, but I left in a hurry to warn you, and this was the only thing I could find. So _please, _only use it if you have to."

I nodded quickly. "Okay Bufkin. I'll leave right away."

He smiled. "Good." He turned and flew away. as he did, I could have swore I heard him say one more thing under his breath.

_"Pray that you never need it."_

**Aaaaand done! Next chapter, things will really heat up. See you then. Bye!**


	11. Miss Hyde

**A/N Hello again. Man, I am on the ball this week! Of course, it helps that I actually wrote most of this chapter a while ago. I hope you like it. And now, it's time for *pause* COMMENT REVIEW TIME!**

** Moo Giraffe: It's fine, Moo! Better late then never!**

** Skorpiee: true, Bufkin is like Beast Boy. He's funny and adorable, but no one likes him. Oh, and he's also green. And sadly, I don't think Gren will appear, although, now I have an idea... soooo maybe.**

** LostHero171: Ugh, I know! So annoying! And here is the next chapter!**

** Now, let's say it all together: LET THE STORY BEGIN!**

The sky was tar-black, no moon or stars to be seen. I ran along the path through the park as fast as I could, my breath coming in quick, ragged pants. I had to get to Bigby and Snow! They'd protect me.

Suddenly, my foot hit a stone and I fell, arms flailing. However, I also heard a _bang _and felt something go whizzing by my head, missing me by an inch. I heard a voice hiss, "_Dammit!"_ from the bushes and just had time to stand up before Bluebeard strode out. He was holding a knife.

"I only brought one bullet," he growled. "I didn't think you'd trip right when I shot."

"Bluebeard, what are you doing?" I cried, trying to act completely innocent.

"Don't you fucking lie to me," snarled Bluebeard. "I know that you saw my invoice! And anyway, this better for everyone! Snow's gotten too damn soft, hiring Mundies! It ends here!"

I backed away slowly, tears streaming down my face. I couldn't outrun him. He was going to kill me. "Please," I sobbed, "don't do this!"

He sneered at me. "Don't worry. I used to specialize in killing weak, helpless young women. It shouldn't hurt...too much."

I stared, unable to accept that this was it. The end.

Suddenly, I remembered the potion Bufkin had given me for this exact reason. I whipped the vial out of my pocket and uncorked it. Bluebeard stared, confused. "What is that?" he demanded.

Before he could move towards me any more, I tipped the contents of the vial into my mouth.

The potion tasted bitter and dry, burning my mouth, and I doubled over, coughing, dropping the vial so that it smashed on the ground. I could feel it working its way down my throat, through my stomach, into my body. I glimpsed, through watering eyes, Bluebeard staring at me, shock written all over his face. Then, a pain like a vise clamped down on my spine and oozed up through my neck, staight to my head. I let out a strangled yell, then collapsed, unable to move, and barely concious.

When I looked back, I realized that the only thing that had kept Bluebeard from killing me then was pure surprise. His mistake.

As soon as I could move and the world came back into focus, I noticed several things. Mainly, how _energized _I felt. I felt strong, unstoppable, like I could fight a war with my bare hands and come out victorious. I basked in the feeling. I felt so..._alive!_

I also noticed how clear everything seemed at that exact moment. I could clearly make out each star in the sky, each leaf on the trees. I could _see _a vein in Bluebeard's neck slowly pulsing, carrying rich, hot blood to the rest of his body. I could hear his heartbeat, quick like a small animal's, beating a staccato rhythm in his chest.

_Bluebeard. _My eyes narrowed, and I straightened up, baring my teeth, which felt longer and sharper than usual. This pathetic worm had tried to kill me, _me,_ simply for finding out what the other fools in this town couldn't. He was a coward, attacking me when he was twice my size, and much stronger.

I laughed, and a small, shrinking part of me was unnerved at how loud and maniacal it was. Now, the tables had turned. _I _was the predator. _He _was the prey.

Bluebeard shakily held up his knife, and I saw his knuckles whiten in an attempt to stop trembling. "St-stay back!" he barked.

"Aww, what's wrong?" I purred. "I thought you specialized in killing weak-" I took a step towards him. "-helpless-" Step. "-_young women." _Step. "Not so brave when your victims can fight back, now are you?" Step.

"I mean it, bitch! Take one more step and I'll gut you!" I could practically hear Bluebeard's knees knocking together. I laughed again. He honestly thought he could catch _me? _

I barely had to think about attacking for it to happen. I jumped at Bluebeard, grabbed his wrist in one hand and his elbow in the other, and twisted. He shrieked like a little girl as, with a beautiful, melodious _crack_, his arm broke to the point that I could see bone poking through the skin. He dropped his knife and fell, clutching his arm. I kicked the knife away and advanced on his huddled, shivering form.

"It's amazing how..._fragile _you are, Bluebeard," I laughed again, loud, long, and insane. Oh, I _knew _I was insane. I embraced it. I _loved _it. Insanity made everything so..._simple. Why _hadn't I taken that potion sooner?

"And now," I said, grinning, "time to play."

Bluebeard tried to stand up and run, but I kicked him hard in the ribs and sent him flying with another beautiful _crack. _He screamed, and I cackled with glee. Oh, the joy of the sounds of agony! They sent a chill up my spine!

I jumped onto him again and proceeded to punch every inch of him I could see. His skin split under my unrelenting fists, and each squeal of pain was music to my ears. Eventually, blood poured from his skin in torrents, and I had knocked out several of his teeth. He stared up at me with wide eyes that begged for mercy. But mercy was for the weak. Not for me.

I grabbed his throat with one hand and squeezed, prepared to end his miserable existence right then and there. Just as he was starting to turn purple, an invisible force slammed into me and knocked me off of him.

I was on my feet in an instant, snarling, rage coursing through my blood. Who _dared_ to interrupt me?

Across from me, standing protectively over Bluebeard, was a figure I hadn't seen in ages. A man with wild brown hair, fur curling under his collar, and a pair of luminous yellow eyes. The Sheriff, ready for a fight. My anger drained. I didn't have a problem with the Sheriff.

"Good evening, Bigby," I purred. "Don't mind me, just taking out the trash."

"Madison," he growled. "What the _fuck _did you do?"

I widened my eyes at him, mock-hurt. "It's not _my _fault," I pouted. "That worm snivelling on the ground over there tried to shoot me, and by sheer luck, I tripped just as he shot. Arrogant as he is, he had only brought one bullet. He then attempted to gut me with that-" I gestured to the knife lying on the ground, "-and so I did the only thing I could do."

"Which was?" snarled the sheriff.

I laughed. "Why, take the potion Bufkin had given me, of course."

Bigby stared. "Wait, _what?_ What potion? And why did Bufkin give it to you?"

I sighed, bored of the conversation. "_Because, _Sheriff," I said slowly, "I found out that Bluebeard was having _appointments _at the Puddin n' Pie, and he wanted to silence me before I told anyone. Dear, sweet Bufkin realized what he was going to do and told me to go find you. He gave me the potion in case Bluebeard caught up with me. And as to what it is, I presume you've heard the story of Jekyll and Hide?"

Bigby's eyes widened as he realized what I meant. "Madison, that stuff makes you insane!" He said urgently. "I don't know if you can hear me, but you have to fight it! I don't want to hurt you!"

"Oh, but my dear sheriff," I said, smiling at how foolish he sounded. "Insanity isn't a _bad _thing. On the contrary, I would say it's been good to me. Do you have any idea how amazing I feel right now? How _alive?_ Like I could grind mountains to dust with my bare hands!" I pointed to Bluebeard, who had passed out from blood loss, lying on the path. "_I _did that. Me! All his superior Fable strength was nothing compared to me!"

"Madison, you have to stop! Even if he did try to kill you, you don't want to become a killer!"

"And how would you know what I want, Sheriff?" My voice had grown low and dangerously silky, but the Sheriff didn't seem to notice.

"Because I've known you for five years! You wouldn't want this!"

I shrugged. "Well, I guess you didn't know me as well as you thought you did, Sheriff." I pointed at Bluebeard. "So, are you going to let me finish what I started?"

Bigby shook his head defeatedly. "No fucking way."

I smiled at him. This was going to be fun. "So be it," I said simply, then, I lunged at him.

**MWAH HA HA! Cliffhanger! See you all next time, as Mads and Bigby duke it out in an epic showdown! Bye!**


	12. Fade to black

**A/N Hello again! Here it is! the epic battle you've all been waiting for! Man, someone call me butter, cause I'm on the roll! Four uploads in two days? Madness!**

**Now, COMMENT REVIEW TIME!**

**Cecilia: Glad you liked it! true, Bufkin wasn't suppossed to be out, but they might cut him some slack, since he saved Madison. Although, Bluebeard probably isn't so grateful...**

**LostHero171: Good. If you weren't scared, I have failed as an author. lets see what you think of Bigby vs. Madison. Thank you for the support!**

**Now, here we go... LET THE STORY BEGIN! (I have decided for that to be my opening story line from now on.)**

The Sheriff clearly wasn't expecting me to attack, so before he could dodge, I had already punched him hard in the stomach. He fell backwards with a _whumph _as all the air left him in a rush. Before I could attack again, he was on his feet, baring his teeth at me.

I tsked. "You're getting sloppy, Sheriff," I scolded. "I was expecting so much more from the Big Bad Wolf." Grinning, I lunged again, but this time he was ready. He sidestepped and grabbed my wrist, pushing me to the ground. I braced myself for the pain of his fist, then realized that there wasn't any. He was simply pinning me to the ground. He honestly didn't plan on fighting.

"What? Am I not worth fighting?" I shouted, squirming under his grip. I managed to flip onto my back, and I glared at him as he answered. "Madison, listen t-"

Before he could finish, I wrenched my hand free and slammed it into his nose. He leaped up with a roar of pain as blood poured from his nose. I leaped up, crouched low to the ground, any humor gone. "This is so unnecessary, Bigby. Just let me take care of h-" My words died in my throat. I had pointed to where Bluebeard was lying, only to see that he was gone. He must have recovered!

I gave a howl of fury and charged at the Sheriff, red creeping in at the edges of my vision. Before he could react I had launched into a kick that hit him square in the chest. I heard multiple cracks as his ribs snapped like twigs. He flew backwards and landed on the ground several feet away.

I stood up, took several deep breaths, and slowly walked over to the sheriff. He seemed to be unconscious. I leaned over, both hands ready to snap his neck-

Only for me to gasp in surprise as a huge, hairy hand shot up and wrapped itself around my throat. I stared, astonished, as the sheriff stared at me with angry, blood orange eyes. As I watched, he slowly transformed into a huge, grey werewolf.

Then, the next thing I knew, I was flying through the air. I twisted, and just barely managed to land on my feet. I shakily stood up, laughing. "Well done, Sheriff," I chuckled. "Now _this _will be interesting."

Bigby snarled at me, fangs bared, and lunged with claws outstretched. I sidestepped, but not fast enough. I felt a prickling, hot sensation, like pins and needles, on my side. When I looked down, I saw four ragged gashes gushing blood like a faucet. But as I watched, the gashes stopped bleeding and began to shrink. I laughed excitedly. It looks like two side effects of drinking that potion were immunity to pain and increased healing speed. Brilliant!

I looked over to the sheriff, who seemed just as surprised as I was. I grinned devilishly at him and pounced. I grabbed his wrist in one hand and his elbow in the other, prepared to snap his arm like I had Bluebeard's, but he seemed to know that trick. He quickly grabbed my hand with his free arm and heaved, sending me flying for the second time, this time into a tree.

I wasn't fast enough the second time around, and I hit the tree with a _crack. _I felt a tight sensation in my chest, and guessed that I had broken some ribs. But the feeling was already fading by the time I got up.

Suddenly, I had a great idea. I clutched my chest and wailed, trying to sound like I was in terrible pain. "B-bigby?" I cried, "What's going on? Why did you do that?" I fell to the ground, shuddering like I was sobbing.

"Madison?" Bigby yelled, and I heard thundering footsteps as he ran over to me. I glanced up and saw a shadow leaning over me. "Oh God, Madison, are you okay?"

"I-I don't know," I sobbed. "W-why did you do that to me? It hurts!" I drew out the last word in a wail.

"Madison, I am so sorry! I just got caught up i-"

He never got to finish his sentence. I grabbed him by the wrist, heaved, and slammed him, head-first, into the tree. He crumpled like a tin can and hit the ground with a _thud. _

I stood up, laughing insanely. "Oh, t-that was s-so f-funny!" I giggled. "Nighty-night, Sheriff." I leaned over, checking that he really was unconscious. He was. I grinned, leaned over to shatter his neck-

And then I heard a voice behind me. "Madison! Stop!"

I turned to see Snow running towards me, tears streaming down her face. She stopped a few feet away from me. "Please!" She begged. "Don't hurt him!"

I bared my teeth. "He let Bluebeard get away," I spat. "He interfered. He dies." I smiled at her. "Leave now, or you do, too."

Snow lowered her head in defeat. "Madison, I'm really sorry about this."

My eyes narrowed. "What are you pl-" Before I could finish my sentence, she grabbed a little cloth pouch that had been tied around her waist. She reached a hand inside and threw a glittering cloud of dust in my face.

I flinched, prepared for terrible pain, or blindness, or-

I sneezed.

Staring at Snow, I burst out laughing. "Was that supposed to _do _something?" I said, walking towards her.

Suddenly, I noticed it was getting harder to open my eyes after blinking. My eyelids seemed to be getting heavier. I stumbled, my limbs slow and sluggish. "Waat di you doo?" I slurred. It was getting harder to focus. Talking seemed hard. _Thinking _seemed hard. What was I doing again?

I suddenly found myself lying on the ground. I didn't really care, though. All I noticed was how _soft _the grass was. I felt like I could just curl up and-

Wait! No, this wasn't normal. The dust was making me feel like this!

I struggled to my feet, glaring at Snow with as much malice as I could. "I'm gonna-I-I'll.."

I fell back down, too tired to say much more. What was the problem again? I was _sooo _sleepy. I could barely think. Sleep seemed like a great idea.

My eyelids slipped shut, and I sank into darkness.


	13. I'm sorry this had to happen

** A/N Hello everyone! Boy, it's been a while, hasn't it? But now I'm back with a new title to boot! I just felt like the old title would have been better if the story had stayed a one shot. Sorry for the wait, I know I kinda left you hanging, but school has started and I've been really busy. Hopefully, though, this chapter will make up for it somewhat. Now, I believe you all know what time it is... COMMENT REVIEW TIME!**

** Skorpiee: Sure, blame the winged green beastboy monkey. Think what would have happened if he **_**hadn't **_**brought it. Madison would be down the Witching Well with the back of her head blown out. Still, I see your point. By the way, you're welcome!**

** LostHero171: Of course the sneeze was unexpected! It's a sneeze! And the best story you ever read? *blushes* Dawww, you!**

** Moo Giraffe: Don't worry, I wouldn't have killed Snow like that. And there is nothing wrong with rooting for the awesome person.**

** Cecilia: here we go! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! I was pretty pleased with myself for that trick, I just came up with it and was like, "YES!"**

** Hope you guys leave some comments. they really help. Oh, and if you didn't know, Cecilia just came out with a sequel to Animals! It's called Harbinger and it's already amazing.**

** Now... LET THE STORY BEGIN!**

_"B-bigby?" I cried, "What's going on? Why did you do that?" I fell to the ground, shuddering like I was sobbing._

_ "Madison?" Bigby yelled, and I heard thundering footsteps as he ran over to me. I glanced up and saw a shadow leaning over me. "Oh God, Madison, are you okay?"_

_ "I-I don't know," I sobbed. "W-why did you do that to me? It hurts!" I drew out the last word in a wail._

_ "Madison, I am so sorry! I just got caught up i-"_

_ He never got to finish his sentence. I grabbed him by the wrist, heaved, and slammed him, head-first, into the tree. He crumpled like a tin can and hit the ground with a thud. _

_ I stood up, laughing insanely. "Oh, t-that was s-so f-funny!" I giggled. "Nighty-night, Sheriff." I leaned over, checking that he really was unconscious. He was. I grinned, leaned over to shatter his neck. _

_ With a deft twist of the wrist, his neck snapped with a _crunch_ that radiated up through my arms._

_ I heard a wail behind me. "Bigby! NO!"_

_ I turned to see Snow running towards me, tears pouring down her face. Totally ignoring me, she ran to Bigby's limp form and lifted his head, cradling it in her arms. "Oh, Bigby," she quavered. "You can't do this to me. Please, please don't do this. Don't leave me. PLEASE!" She dissolved into fresh sobs, leaning over Bigby's corpse as her shoulders shook._

_ As she wailed, I couldn't help but notice how white her frail, exposed neck was._

I flew back to consciousness as quickly as if someone had thrown a bucket of water over my head. My eyes flew open, only to snap shut as they were scorched by harsh light. After dimly wondering where I was, I noticed voices, speaking in low whispers somewhere near me.

"What are...can't let...forget...Bluebeard..."

Mostly, none of those words made sense. My head hurt, and I couldn't think clearly. I tried to focus. I had been in the park... and then Bluebeard had tried to kill me...so I drank the potion... And...

Suddenly, my brain seemed to click to fast-forward. I had attacked Bluebeard, tried to kill him. Tried to do the same to Bigby and Snow. Oh, God, what had I done?

I opened my eyes and squinted, trying to see through the blinding light that burned my eyes. I blinked a few times, then gave up and closed them again. I realized I was sitting in something that felt like an old armchair. The air smelled like cigarettes and sweat, mixed with something like dog and pine. A smell I knew all too well...

"Bigby?" I croaked.

In an instant, the whispers stopped. I heard Snow's voice, full of uncertainty. "Madison?" I heard footsteps heading towards where I was lying. "Madison, are yo-"

Suddenly, her footsteps cut off. "Snow! Be careful!" said Bigby. "She tried the same thing with me yesterday!" I heard different footsteps coming towards me, heavier, faster. I opened my eyes as a shadow crossed over the light that was blinding me, and I could just make out Bigby's face. "How do we know you're back to normal?" He demanded.

I stared at him for a second, then tried to talk. My throat was dry, and I started coughing. After I had finished, I looked around for the first time. To my surprise, I was in Bigby's apartment, in- like I had guessed- an old armchair. I looked back up at Bigby nervously.

"Well?" he said. "Answer me!"

"Bigby!" scolded Snow. "The potion wore off an hour ago. Calm down!" She glared at him until he backed off and lit a cigarette. She looked at me sadly and opened her mouth to speak, but I beat her too it.

"Oh my God, Snow, I am _so _sorry!" I cried, wringing my hands together. "Bufkin came to my apartment in the middle of the night, saying Bluebeard wanted to kill me, so I ran and ran, but then he found me, so I drank that potion and did all sorts of terrible stuff! Is Bigby ok?"

Snow, instead of answering, looked over to Bigby. "I'm fine," he muttered, blowing smoke between his teeth.

"But _this _isn't!" I insisted. "I could have killed you! I was going to! Then Snow showed up and..." I trailed off, suddenly curious. "Wait, what _did _you do?"

Snow grimaced. "I used some sleeping dust that used to belong to the Sandman. I got it as part of a donation to the Fabletown office. To be honest, it should have knocked you out immediately, but you stayed awake longer than most. Must've been that potion." Her eyes hardened. "Where did you get that?"

I figetted a bit, uncomfortable."Bufkin gave it to me," I said in a small voice. "He said it was the only thing he could get in time."

Snow closed her eyes, rubbed her temples, and took some deep breaths. "Ok," she said. "Start from the beginning. What.._exactly_...happened?"

I closed my eyes for a second, recalling what had happened when Bufkin came to my window. It already felt like it had happened a lifetime ago. "It all started," I began, "When I started working for you yesterday. While I was going through some of the papers, I found an old invoice from the Puddin n' Pie. It..." I faltered.

Snow seemed annoyed. "It what?" she said.

I swallowed. My mouth seemed awfully dry. "It was Bluebeard's. It said that he had to pay extra because he was... abusing members of their staff."

Snow seemed at a loss for words. She opened her mouth, than closed it again, staring at me in horror. Bigby, however, had plenty to say. "That prick!" He snarled, pacing the room. "I always knew he was a piece of shit, but this... this is fucking _insane!_" He turned and punched the wall, eyes taking on an amber gleam, fur curling under his collar. His fist broke through the drywall with a _crunch._

"Bigby!" snarled Snow. "_Calm down! _We have time to deal with Bluebeard later. First, I want to hear what Madison has to say." She looked at me expectantly and smiled. "Go on."

I swallowed again and continued. "Bufkin came to me in the middle of the night..."

I talked for about twenty minutes, remembering everything that had happened. In some ways, I wished I didn't have to. Talking about it was like reliving it, second by second. I couldn't bring myself to talk about how I felt after drinking the potion, because I was knew that if I did, I would have to admit that some small part of me loved it. That some small part of me craved the feeling I got from it. Other than that, though, I told them everything.

Snow stared at me grimly after I had finished, her mouth a thin line. At first, i was worried that she was angry with me, but when I looked closer, I noticed that her eyes were shiny with tears. "Snow?" I said hesitantly. "What...what happens now?"

Snow let out a shaky sigh and turned to Bigby, who looked solemn. "Go get Auntie Greeleaf. Tell her that we need the spell. And after that, hunt down Bluebeard. I don't care how messed up he is, as long as he's alive."

Bigby nodded, shot me a surprisingly sympathetic look, the strode out of the apartment, hands in pockets.

An awful feeling was crawling its way into my stomach. "What spell?" I said, a little hysterically. "For what?"

Snow looked at me sadly. "Madison, Mundies aren't supposed to have any contact with strenghthening magic. It becomes addicting. It happened once before, and..." She let out another shaky breath. "And it didn't end well. There's a possibility it won't happen to you, but we can't take that chance. There's only one way we can make sure that doesn't happen."

I looked down at the floor, suddenly realizing what she meant. "And that is?" I said quietly.

I saw a tear splash to the carpet at Snow's feet. "By taking your memory."

I kept staring at the floor, refused to meet Snow's eye. "When you say that," I whispered. "I assume you mean more memory than just the one of the potion."

A few more tears hit the carpet. "Yes, Madison. All your memories of Fabletown, too."


	14. Ring, ring

** A/N Hellooooooo everyone! Man, I have missed writing for you guys. Most of you seemed kinda...upset about last chapter. I mean, three people started their review with, 'NOOOOOO'. Let me adress these concerns in... COMMENT REVIEW TIME!**

** LostHero171: As flattered as I am that this takes priority over your homework, I don't think the adults would be happy with me if I encourages skipping homework. And I am so happy that you like this so much! Thanks!**

** Guest: You're right! She must be able to tell her children!**

** TheKittenAuthor: Because, once the addiction happens, it's really hard to unaddict someone. Snow can't risk it happening. By the way, can I just say how psyched I am that you read this? Every new reader is a friend of mine!**

** Cecilia: Don't die! There's more right here!**

** Moo Giraffe: Ok, I'm going to adress each part of your comment. First of all, I'm blushing super hard at all your praise! If there is **_**one **_**thing I pride myself on, it's a good imagination, even if I can't write very well sometimes. And of course it can't make her insane **_**forever. **_**If you actually read the plot of Jekyll and Hyde, it makes more sense. And now, to answer all of your questions, in order: Possibly, only stuff that gives you powers, yes, and possibly. I might write a little one-shot about it later. I'm not sure. And sorry, I can't really answer the other questions, because the answers are in this chapter.**

** And now... LET THE STORY BEGIN!**

I sat perfectly still, numb with shock. Five years. They were going to take five years away from me.

I watched, still looking at the floor, as Snow's high heels clicked towards me. I felt a hesitant hand on my shoulder. "Madison... I'm so sor-"

I stood up abruptly, swatting her hand off of my shoulder like it was a bug. Without speaking, refusing to look at her, I strode over to the door.

I heard her heels click after me. "Madison, wai-" I cut her off. "I'm going back to my apartment," I said, back turned, still not looking at her. "What time will it be ready?"

Snow didn't have to ask what 'it' was. "About three hours," she said, in a quavering voice.

"Fine," I said, opening the door to leave and taking a step. I felt a hand grab my shoulder, felt long nails dig into my skin. "Madison, please-"

I rounded on her, my numbness suddenly replaced by rage. "Please, what?" I spat. "Please don't be mad? Please _forgive _me? How can I? You're taking _five fucking years _of my life, and why? Because _I _almost got killed by one of _your _employees? Because I had to protect myself for finding out something that _you_ should have already known?"

I glared at Snow, whose eyes glistened with tears. As I watched, a few more dripped down her cheeks. She didn't say anything, however, so I continued.

"How could I _ever _forgive you for this?" I felt a lump in my throat, and found that _I _was crying too. I didn't care though. I whipped around and marched towards the stairs, but not before I threw one last comment over my shoulder.

_"I thought we were friends, Snow!"_

* * *

The whole walk back to my apartment, I was furious. Who where they to think they could do this? _They _were the ones that made the mistake. Why did I have to suffer?

Once I reached the building, I stomped up the stairs, feeling too angry to bear being cooped up in an elevator, especially with other people. Walking down the hallway, I grabbed my keys from my pocket, jammed them into the locked door of my apartment, and opened it.

I stepped inside, slammed the door shut, then fell onto my couch. I ran through memories in my head, all the things I'd seen, all the things I'd learned. Soon, they would all be gone.

Suddenly, the lump in my throat came back. And this time, I didn't even try to hide it. I _howled._ Throwing myself onto a pillow, I cried until my eyes burned. _I can't believe it. Five years. Five years are about to be taken from me._

Unless...I sat up, wiped my eyes with my hands, leaned back into my couch, thinking. Unless there was some way I could stop the spell. But that was impossible. From the little I knew about Fable magic, it was impossible for a Mundy to block it.

So, maybe I could break the spell once it had been cast? But how?

Suddenly, I sat up. I had an idea.

I went into my bedroom and opened the drawer to my dresser, looking for my old journal. Once I found it, I went rooting through cabinets and drawers until I found a pen. I walked back over to my couch, sat down, opened the journal, and, feeling suddenly hopeful, began to write...

* * *

The knocking on my door came as no surprise. I stood up from my couch where I had been reading and walked over calmly. I opened the door. Outside stood Bigby and Snow. Snow refused to meet my gaze, instead staring at the carpet. Bigby just looked solemn. I looked down and saw, in his hand, what looked like a whistle carved out of wood. Strange symbols were carved into it.

I held the door open, stared at the floor. "Come in," I said dully.

Bigby came in first, with the strong, purposeful stride I had come to recognize. Snow was right behind him. As she passed by me, she looked up at me. Her eyes were full of pain.

I looked away and followed Bigby, sitting down on my couch. Snow, instead of also sitting down, headed into my kitchen. I heard a chair grate against the floor as she sat it there, out of my line of sight. I looked at Bigby questioningly.

He sighed, and rubbed a hand over his face. "She's taking this pretty hard," he said.

Good.

I raised an eyebrow. "And you're not?"

He looked up at me suddenly, and I was surprised to see that his eyes had resorted to their wolf-like glowing yellow. "Of course I am," he growled. "But sometimes, you have to be strong for the people you care about. Do you think Snow would feel better if I started crying too?"

He glared at me, and I looked down, unable to meet his gaze. "No," I said softly. "She wouldn't."

I looked up again, and saw that Bigby's eyes had turned back to brown. He stared at me for a second, than held up the tiny whistle. Then, he suddenly put it down. "I almost forgot," he said. He withdrew an envelope from his pocket and held it out. "Your paycheck."

I took it from him and pocketed it. Honestly, I had totally forgotten about my job. "Thanks." We looked at each other for an awkward moment.

"Well," he said. "I guess this is it."

"Yep."

"I'm sorry it had to end like this, Mads.

"So am I. Before you do anything, though, did you ever get Bluebeard?"

"Yep. He's at the Woodlands right now. Don't worry."

"Good."

Bigby lifted the whistle to his lips and blew. It made an eeire noise, not at all like a whistle, more like a ringing. I figetted uncomfortably, staring at the floor, wondering what was going to happen. I felt something trickle from my nose. I put a hand up, and it came away bloody.

The noise hadn't stopped yet, so I looked up. Bigby wasn't holding the whistle anymore. In fact, the only thing in his hand was a small pile of sawdust. He was looking at me, and maybe I was just imagining it, but his eyes seemed shiny and a little red. If the whistle was gone, where was the noise coming from?

It grew higher, louder, echoing painfully in my ears. I hunched over, clamping my hands over my ears. Any thoughts I had were drowned out by the ringing. It grew louder and louder _and louder and louder. _Good God, why didn't it _stop?_

I couldn't take it anymore. The ringing had burrowed its way into my skull, and now there was another noise, like rushing water. It felt like my head was going to explode. "Please!" I cried. "Please, make it stop, please, stop it, _stop it!"_

I couldn't take the pain anymore. I fell over on my couch, blackness creeping in at my vision, the ringing echoing in my ears.. The last thing I heard before I lost consciousness was a loud sob from my kitchen.


	15. Gone forever

**A/n Hello everyone! So, another double update, huh? Man, this girl's got skillz! *Ahem* Sorry about that. Let's move on to COMMENT REVIEW TIME!**

** Skorpiee: Don't worry about it. Also, I am incredibly happy that you like this so much! My story! And I'm not even half as good an author as Cecilia Green!**

** LostHero171: Don't worry, if this wasn't my story, I would have done the same thing. Glad you liked the new title, I was hesitant to change in but I felt that it didn't work anymore. And as for the chapter, glad you liked it!**

** Cecilia: Of course they will. Question is, will they find anything? :)**

** Andrew 2000: hey, a new face! Welcome to the story, man! Glad you like this, and of course I'm going to keep it up. The only reason I would stop is if everyone unfavorited and said they hated this. As long as one person wants more, I will write more.**

** Before I start, I just want to take a minute to say something. I jst want to thank each and every one of you for the support. Everyone who commented, favorited, followed, and read this. Your support has helped me so much, I can't even say. Special thanks to a few of my most frequent commenters: Moo Giraffe, LostHero171, Skorpiee, and lastly, Cecilia Green. You all have helped more than I can even express with words. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.**

** But enough of my sappy stuff. As always...**

** LET THE STORY BEGIN!**

Snow walked up to Madison, who was sprawled out on the couch. Blood stil trickled from her nose, and her face bore the ghost of the pain she had felt just minutes before. It took all of Snow's professionalism not to burst into hysterical sobbing.

She felt a comforting hand on her shoulder, and looked up to see Bigby gazing at her tenderly. " I didn't think memory spells worked like that," she said quietly. "It looked...painful."

Bigby rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. "Greenleaf said this would work differently. Most memory spells are supposed to make people forget everything that happened, and only things that happened a day ago. She said this one might not be as...clean."

Snow was slightly shocked at Bigby's nonchalant attitude, but she was even more surprised when he walked over to a drawer and opened it, rifling through its contents. "What are you doing?" she said angriliy. "That's not your's!"

Bigby looked at Snow coldly. "Madison's a smart girl. We have to make sure she didn't leave herself any notes or something. Greenleaf said this spell wasn't as stable as most. If she wrote a letter or something, it could undo everything."

Snow stared at him, feeling as though her heart was being shredded. Doing this to Madison was bad enough, but going through her stuff? She could hardly bear it.

Snow nodded jerkily. "Fine. Let's look."

They spent the next hour carefully searching Madison's apartment, going over her possesions. Madison, true to her word, had kept very few mementos of Fabletown in her house, in case someone got curious. They started to think that she didn't have anything- until they went into her closet.

Hidden in the back of her small closet was a small shoebox. Snow, already conviced they were done and wanting nothing more than to leave, almost didn't notice what was in the box when she opened it. When she finally looked, her heart skipped a beat.

Inside the box were several tiny objects. The first was something she had seen before: a red and white pack of cigarettes, labled _Huff n' Puff._ Scribbled on a label tapped onto the pack were words written in Madison's tiny, cramped writing. _Give to Bigby sometime. They are NOT good._ The next was a small green feather that Snow realized as one of Bufkin's. Madison must have gotten it the day Bufkin got his wing caught on the wheel of the silver chariot at the office. The third was the very vegetable peeler she had grabbed the night they first came to her house. And the fourth thing... Oh, God, it was a picture of Snow, Bigby, and Madison. Snow remebered the day so well.

It had been Madison's eighteenth birthday, so Snow had asked her to come to the office. When she showed up, they had surprised her(or at least, Snow and Bufkin had) with a tiny party. Obviously, not much, since running the Business Office _was _very difficult, but they'd managed to get her a card, and even a gift: a pair of shoes from the Glass Slipper Shoe Store. They weren't much, just plain silver slip-ons, but Madison had loved them. Afterwords, she had convinced them all to get together for a picture an the camera her mother had given her. Snow smiled at the memory.

Her smiled disappeared as she remembered why Bigby and her were here. She sighed, picked up the box, and tucked it under her arm. Leaving the room, she walked back into the front hall. Bigby was already there, holding Madison, bridal- style. "Where should I put her?" he said.

Snow stared for a second, then answered. "We...Let's put her on her bed. But first, we have to clean her up."

Bigby nodded, then walked back over to the couch and dropped Madison onto it with a harsh _thump_. Snow winced. How could he be so cold about this?

Bigby disappeared into the kitchen, and returned a minute later with a washcloth soaked with water. He used it to wipe the blood from Madison's face. Once he was done, he headed back into the kitchen to clean off the cloth.

Once he had returned, he picked Madison back up and stalked off to her bedroom. Snow followed him.

The two Fables carefully placed her under the cover, arranging her head on the pillow so she looked like she was sleeping. Once they had finished, both stared at her for a minute. Neither spoke.

Eventually, Bigby cleared his throat. "Snow? We should get going."

Snow nodded silently, gripping the box under her arm as is it were going to jump away.

The two left the apartment, leaving no sign that they had ever been there, except for two things: a small pile of sawdust next to a chair, and the absence of the things that proved they had ever existed.

Except, of course, for the small note hidden in a book in Madison's house.


	16. Dream a better dream

**A/N Hello everyone! I don't have much to say, so I'm just gonna go right to... COMMENT REVIEW TIME!**

** LostHero171: Don't worry, it wasn't too hard to make that second chapter. i juts felt like writing. I apologize for any damage caused by the feels train. I will replace anything it broke.**

** Cecilia: Yes! I was worried people would think I was trying to hard and that the moment would be ruined, so I am glad feels were had!**

** Skorpiee: Remember, when you're the Sheriff, you have to be strong. Bigby was juts doing what had to be done. And I'm glad you like my story. I have yet to figure out why, though.**

** TheKittenAuthor: Yeah, they didn't think to look through all her books. Question is, how long until Madison herself finds the note? I mean, she doesn't remember where she put it, either.**

** Thank you for all the support! Remember, if you like, leave a comment. It helps.**

** And now...LET THE STORY BEGIN!**

The world was on fire.

I wa running as fast as I could across hot, scorched ground, ducking to avoid streams of fire that shot by every now and again and exploded behind me. Each time one shot by, I thought I could make out something in the flames: faces that I felt I should know, random words tangled together in unintelligible sentences, and once, a giant wolf with a blood-stained muzzle. For some reason, I felt horribly sad. Like it was my own house burning down.

Speaking of burning houses, where was the fire department? How exactly did I end up here? Why was everything on fire?

Suddenly, it all clicked. This was a _dream!_

I stopped running and calmly snapped my fingers, focusing hard on changing the landscape, on putting out the fires. Slowly, they did go out, but for some reason I felt a stab of pain in my head every time one died. It felt _wrong _to put these fires out. No, it was more than that. Putting them out meant destroying their fuel source, and for some reason, the things burning felt _important. _

I shook my head. It was a dream, nothing more.

As I watched, the land slowly changed. The smoke-stained sky turned to rich gold and pink bleeding together, with a splashes of lavender swirled in and a shining white sun sinking on the horizon. The ashy ground melted into soft green grass, spotted with wildflowers. The piles of still-smoldering coals disappeared.

I smiled, pleased with myself for creating this tranquil scene. I turned around and, just as I had expected, Chyna was there, dressed in her usual pale blue tank top and white jean shorts, with a white sleeveless leather jacket and a necklace of sharp white teeth. However, instead of her usual confident smirk, her face was twisted into a confused scowl.

I walked up to her, frowning. "Hey, Chyna," I said. "What's up?"

Chyna looked at me with confusion in her mismatched eyes. "I... I'm not sure. Something feels...wrong."

I smiled at her. "What, you mean losing my job? Chyna, you know what a pervert my boss was. It was for the best."

Chyna gave a snort of mirthless laughter. "Snow? A pervert?"

I gave her a confused look of my own. "Snow? Who's that?"

Chyna's face morphed into a puzzled expression, before twisting back into a scowl. She gritted her teeth and stomped her foot, angry for no reason. "I... I don't know. I thought I knew, but... it's gone." She suddenly smiled at me, confident smirk returning full force. "C'mon," she said. "What do you want to do?"

I thought for a minute, deciding to forget whatever weird outburst she had just had. Finally, I made up my mind. I couldn't quite say where the idea came from, but it sounded fun.

"Let's go get a drink."

* * *

The bar I imagined was a small place called Trapper's. I walked through the door that had appeared out of nowhere and looked around. The walls were dark red, and there was a dart board, a cigarette machine, and a pool table. Taped above the bar counter were countless notes and pictures, some scribbled with things like, 'Banned' and 'Lousy tipper." Behind the counter was a lean woman with long white hair and a tattoo of a flowering vine on her collarbone. She wore a red dress and bright blue eye shadow.

The only other person in the bar was a tall, lanky man with black Elvis-style hair. He wore a red leather jacket and was hunched over his drink.

Chyna and I walked up to the counter. The woman eyed us suspiciously. "What can I get you two?" she deadpanned.

I thought for a second. "I'll take a strawberry lemonade, please."

"And I'll take a iced tea," said Chyna.

The woman turned around to get the drinks. As we waited, I looked around again. Something about this place made me feel uneasy. Like... I should recognize it. Looking at the decor gave me a stabbing pain in my head.

Without too much thought, I flicked my hand at the walls. They changed from rusty red to deep purple. The room changed, getting bigger, adding more seats. Neon signs appeared, advertising different drinks. More people appeared, and the bar was filled with voices and the click of glasses. The floor turned shiny black, and, as an afterthought, the cigarette machine disappeared in a puff of smoke.

There. This was better. Any discomfort I had had was gone.

I turned back to the counter as the woman handed us our drinks. However, now she was a younger lady with shiny black hair, bright red lipstick, and a smattering of freckles across her nose. "Thanks," I said. The woman smiled at me, showing shiny white teeth. "You're welcome, honey," she said cheerfully.

I turned to Chyna, who was sipping her iced tea with a thoughtful expression. I took a sip of my own drink, savoring the sweet taste. "So," I said after I had swallowed, "what do you want to do after this?"

Chyna took another sip of her tea, then smiled. "How about we talk to him?" she jerked her thumb over to the man in the red leather jacket. He, out of everything else, had stayed the same.

Looking at him, I felt another twinge of pain. "No," I said, shaking me head to clear it. I looked at the man again, and as I watched, he slowly dissolved into smoke. However, before he was gone, he turned to look at me. One of his eyes was pure white, no iris or pupil, just white. Then, that disappeared in a puff of smoke as well.

I took another sip of my drink, suddenly feeling as if the bar was too hot. I had the nagging feeling that something wasn't right here, but I couldn't figure out what. I shook my head again and turned to Chyna, who seemed perfectly fine and was almost done with her drink. "Hey," I said, attempting to smile. "How about we go for a walk?"

Chyna shrugged. "Sure," she said, placing her drink on the counter and standing up. I followed her, and we both strolled out of the bar.

We decided to walk around through town, so, as we left the bar, the surrondings blurred until they were a perfect model of New York City. We strolled around for a while, and eventually we both got pretzels from a vendor seeling them at a street corner.

I was so busy talking to Chyna and eating my pretzel that I didn't notice where we were going until Chyna grabbed me by the collar. "Watch out!" she said.

I realized I had been about to walk into a wall. I turned and smiled sheepishly. "Thanks," I muttered.

I looked up at the building we were standing by. It was a huge factory, made of blackened bricks covered in old grafitti. A little to our left was a giant set of double doors. It looked..._familiar._

Chyna looked at the place, her usual smirk appearing. "Hey, let's go and see what's in there," she said, pulling me towards the door.

I resisted. "I don't know," I said. "Something doesn't feel right." The phantom pain had reappeared, as though spikes were being pushed right behind my eyes. This place felt wrong. I wasn't supposed to be here.

Chyna rolled her eyes. "C'mon," she scoffed. "It's fine!"

Hesitantly, I followed her inside. The doors led to a hallway. Heaped in a corner were stacks of boxes. Boxes with a mark on the side...

I blinked, and I realized that they were just plain boxes. Why had I thought there was anything on them?

At the end of the hall was a metal door. Chyna pulled it open, and we both walked inside.

The place was a huge factory, filled with tanks and tubes that twisted and crossed in midair. A giant smelting pot was moving back and forth overhead, full of molten metal.

I turned to say something to Chyna, put when I turned, she was gone. I frowned, and turned back around to call out her name. What I saw made my heart climb to my throat.

Standing in front of my was a horrifying creature. It looked like a corpse that had been dragged through a mirror factory. As far as I could tell, it was a woman, but her skin was chalk white. She was dressed in plain jeans and a shredded white shirt. Glass protruded from her skin at angles, blood dripping from the wounds. Her eyes were pitch-black, with red slit irises. She was smirking at me, baring long fangs. Clutched in her arms was Chyna, throat cut, lacerations covering most of her skin.

My breath caught in my throat. I recognized this woman. It was-

Suddenly, the pain that had been lurking in the back of my head exploded. I fell to the ground and screamed as images raced by in my mind's eye. Faces, buildings, and words that mixed together and sped by faster and faster. Snow Bigby Bloody MaryJersyJackFabletown_BufkinBluebeardfairytalesBullfinchstreet-_

* * *

I sat up with a jolt, clutching my chest, my breath coming in huge gasps. I looked around wildly. I was in bed.

I breathed a huge sigh of relief. I couldn't remember what I had dreamed about, exactly, but I was glad it was over. I stretched and yawned, looking at my clock. It was 12:30. I smiled, got out of bed, and went to make myself some brunch. Today would be busy. I had gotten fired not three days ago, and I really needed to find a new job.


	17. Bittersweet memories

**A/N Hello, everyone! Not much to say, really except YAY! More double updates! Whatever. COMMENT REVIEW TIME!**

** Losthero171: I am sorry you are sad, still, that's what I was going for.**

** TheKittenAuthor: Yep. That's what I was implying.**

** Cecilia: ARRGH! MY NEWNESS ON FANFICTION MEANS I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO AND WHERE TO NOT PUT LINE BREAKS! Please forgive me, Senpai...**

** Skorpiee: Ok. I can't really say anything to that awesome comment other than ok.**

** So, yeah, leave a review, blah blah blah, I don't own TWAU, blah blah, LET THE STORY BEGIN!**

Finding a job proved easier than I thought. I was walking around town, looking for help wanted signs, when I noticed a young man staggering into Lady Liberty Public Library, carrying a huge stack of books. As I watched, the pile teetered, and with a crash the whole thing came down. I man cursed and bent over to pick up the books. I walked over. "Need a hand?" I asked, bending over to pick up some of the books.

The man looked at me gratefully. he was young, with short, curly black hair and dimples. "Thanks," He said, as we both stood up, each holding a book stack. "Sometimes it's hard bringing in new books by myself."

I couldn't believe my ears. "Do you work here?" I said, gesturing to the library with my head.

He nodded. "Yeah. It's a real nightmare working here. There aren't a lot of other employees, see."

I smiled mischievously at him. "Are you hiring?

* * *

_One Month Later_

I pushed open the door to my apartment, balancing bags of groceries in the crook of my arm. Walking into the apartment, I stumbled into my small kitchen and dropped the bags on the countertop. My job at the library paid well enough, so I found that I was able to splurge a little when shopping. I looked over the bags, then, deciding that I could put them away later, I walked into my living room and over to my bookshelf.

I scanned the titles, trying to decide what to read. Eventually, I decided on a battered copy of _Jekyll and Hyde _that my mother had given me. I had already read it, more than once, but I decided just to skim over some of my favorite parts again. Pulling it off the shelf, I plopped down on the couch and opened to a random page.

Inside, between the pages, was a folded piece of paper, that looked like it had been ripped out of a journal. I frowned and picked it was probably nothing, but I decided to check anyway. I unfolded it and started to read.

_Madison._

_ You probably don't remember writing this. I don't know when you will actually find it, but there's something you have to remember. _

_ Do you remember when you quit your job at that diner? Well, that was because you got a new job offer. From Snow White. I know this probably makes no sense to you, you might even think someone else wrote this, but it is you. I can prove it._

_ Remember Chyna? All the times you hung out with her when you were asleep? Yeah, I know about Chyna, even though you never told anyone about her. Because you wrote this. I am you._

_ New York has a secret. A secret you found out when you were sixteen. Remember, when that boy dared you to go to Sheppard Metalworks? Remember what you saw? Don't worry, I'll tell you._

_ You showed up there and saw something no human has ever seen. You watched The Big Bad Wolf fight Bloody Mary._

_ Yes, Madison. The Big Bad Wolf._

_ All of the fairy tales are real._

_ They live here, in New York. On what you probably call Bullfinch Street. They call it Fabletown._

_ You discovered all this that night. You realized what was going on. And so did they. They came to your house, talked to you._

_ You became their friends._

_ For five years, you were in on some huge secret no one else knew about. You talked to other Fables, as they called themselves, learned about them. Eventually, Snow White hired you. It was all going great._

_ But then, you found that damned piece of paper._

_ You discovered that one of them, Bluebeard, was abusing dancers at a strip club. He found out that you knew. He tried to kill you. You had no choice._

_ You drank a potion that another Fable gave you. You became a monster. You tried to kill Bluebeard, and Snow White, and Bigby Wolf. They managed to stop you. But at a price._

_ Mundane people aren't supposed to use magic to get stronger. It turns addicting. They had to stop you. _

_ By taking your memory._

_ But you can't forget, Madison. You can't. The friendships, the stories, they can't be for nothing._

_ You have to remember, Madison._

_ Please._

The bottom of the note was stained, the ink bleeding into circles of black. I stared at it, mind racing. This was a joke. That was all. None of it made sense. I mean, fairy tales? Snow White? That couldn't be real.

But then, what about Chyna? I never told anyone about her.

Which meant I wrote this note.

Suddenly, a sharp pain stabbed into my head. I fell off the couch, shrieking, as pictures flashed through my mind and I tried to fight each one away.

_An enormous wolf with a blood stained muzzle, roaring at the ceiling as shattered glass rained down around it._

_Kind blue eyes, framed by thick black hair done up in a messy bun. The quiet click of high heels on the floor._

_ A gruff voice, paired with a cloud of cigarette smoke and a pair of liquid brown eyes._

_ The feeling of pure power coursing through my body as I broke a man's arm in a single twist, reveling in his screams of agony._

_ A sob echoing from my kitchen as I writhed on my couch, my ears full of an agonizing ringing._

_ Fabletown._

_ Snow White._

_ Bigby._

Sometime later, I slowly got up and opened my eyes.

And I _remembered._


	18. Never forgotten

** A/N Hello everyone! Now before I delve into my usual random chatter, I feel it is my duty to say something very important. Something that breaks my heart to say.**

** This is the last chapter. *Ducks to avoid anything heavy and/or sharp thrown at me***

** *Carefully gets up* Yep, this will be it for the girl who found out. It seems like forvever since I started this. As my first fanfic, I was pretty sure it would be my only one, because I doubted that many people would like it. But, to my eternal amazement, a ton of people liked this. Can I just have a minute to say thanks to everyone who commented, which includes:**

** LostHero171, TheKittenAuthor, Skorpiee, Kattylin, Moo Giraffe, Dreaming Traveler, Shotgun Steve, wolfiepower, Phoenix of Hope 42, Andrew 2000, and of course, Cecilia Green. You all inspired me so much and pushed me to continue this. For that, I can never thank you enough.**

** Now *sniff* for the last time... say it with me now...**

** LET THE STORY BEGIN!**

Bigby sat on the couch of his apartment, sighed, and pulled out his packet of cigarettes. He pushed it against the palm of his hand to extract a cigarette. To his annoyance, however, the pack was empty.

"Dammit," growled the Sheriff. He really needed a smoke.

He sighed again and rubbed a hand over his face. The past two months had been terrible. It seemed like everyone in Fabletown had to pick a fight with everyone else, and the sheriff was constantly coming home with bloody knuckles.

Then, there was Snow. Bigby thought about how hard she had taken it when they had erased Madison's memory. It had been hard for him too, at first. But he had learned long ago that sometimes, losing people and being alone was part of life.

After they had taken Madison's memory, Snow had asked to see Bluebeard. Bigby still shuddered when he remembered the blank look on her face as she said it. She had been silent all the way to the Woodlands, and gave of an aura of coldness that was almost palpable. However, that was nothing compared to her when they finally reached where Bluebeard was.

_The basement where Bluebeard was kept was dark, dank, and generally perfect for holding criminals. As Bigby opened the door to the vault, he couldn't help but wonder what Snow White had planned. _

_ Bigby had walked in ahead of Snow, staring at where Bluebeard was sitting. Even after Bigby had called Dr. Swineheart to tend to him, the Fable was still a mess. His face was a mural of purple and yellow bruising, and a bandage was wrapped around his arm where Madison had snapped it in half. Hearing Bigby's footsteps, Bluebeard had looked up and smiled lazily._

_ "Ah, hello Sheriff, Ms. White," he'd said. "I take it your little Mundy pal is gone, right?"_

_ Bigby had taken a threatening step towards Blubeard, but before he could do anything else, a tan blur had flown past him and knocked Bluebeard out of his chair. Bigby realized it was Snow. Her eyes were absolutely wild. "Shut up, you son of a bitch!" she'd shrieked. Bigby stared at her. In all the years he'd known Snow White, he had never seen her lose control._

_ Bluebeard seemed just as surprised as Bigby was. However, it had quickly morphed back into his usual arrogance. "Oh, did I-"_

_ He'd never gotten to finish that sentence. Snow had pounced on him again, and this time there was murder in her eyes. "I said __**shut up!**__" She'd bellowed, grabbing his head and slamming it into the concrete wall repeatedly. "Because you couldn't bear to have your __**perfect image ruined, **__you forced me to ruin her life! She hates me now, because of __**you!**__"_

_ As Bigby had watched, flabbergasted, Snow shoved Bluebeard's head into the wall one more time with sickening force. It hit the wall with the sound of a melon hitting concrete. Bluebeard collapsed onto the floor without a sound. _

_ Snow had dissolved into hysterical sobs, curling up on the ground with her face in her knees like a small child. Without hesitation, Bigby had walked over to her and, sitting down next to her, held her gently. Snow looked up at him, tears streaking her face. "She hates me," she'd repeated with a hiccup._

_ Bigby had had nothing to say._

Nowadays, Snow was distant and disorganized. She rarely talked to anyone, even Bufkin. After how she reacted with Bluebeard, Bigby figured she'd skin the monkey on the spot and hang him on the wall. However, she had shown gratitude to him. If not for him, she'd explained, Madison would have been killed.

Bigby leaned back into his chair, wondering what he should do now that he had a moment of spare time. Suddenly, there was a knock on his door, loud, quick, insistent. The sheriff groaned and slowly stood up, walking to the door. He opened it to find Snow White, hand raised, in the process of hitting his door as hard as she could. Clutched in her raised hand was a piece of paper.

"Bigby," gasped Snow. "This morning, the office...it was on my desk..." She looked up at him. her blue eyes full of shock. "We have to go to Madison's apartment."

The Sheriff didn't stop to ask questions. Snow had barely finished her sentence, and he was already out the door.

* * *

Bigby walked up to Madison's door, and looked expectantly at Snow. "Knock!" she urged him.

Bigby turned back to face the door and knocked three times. After waiting a minute and not getting an answer, he tried the handle. The door was unlocked.

Without a second to spare, Bigby pushed open the door and walked into the apartment. What he saw left him speechless.

The apartment was entirely bare. Every piece of furniture, every painting, every book, was gone. Bigby could make out Madison's scent, but to his horror, it was at least two weeks old.

Bigby slowly turned to Snow. "Snow?" he asked carefully. "What..exactly... did you say was at the office?"

With a trembling hand, Snow held up the piece of paper she had been holding since she had shown up at his apartment. It was creased from how tightly she had been gripping it. Written on it were three words, shakily scrawled in what Bigby recognized as Madison's handwriting. Eyes wide, he looked up at Snow, whose eyes were filling with tears.

_Forgiven, not forgotten._

** Aaaaand that's it, folks! To everyone who's still here, know that I plan a sequel! Or at least a... what do you call it when it's a sequel but takes place in the middle of the story? A miquel? Yeah, I'll go with that. I plan a sequel, or at least a miquel, so don't worry, Madison will return! But for now, I will see you again some day, my friends. Good-bye!**

**P.S Remember, my PM box is always open if you have ideas for stories I should make. Or if you just wanna chat.**


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